


I am the Hokage

by SilverHunter



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst and Humor, Dark Past, Family, Friendship, Gen, Homecoming, Hope, Hurt/Comfort, Other, Secrets, Swearing, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-04
Updated: 2015-07-03
Packaged: 2018-02-11 17:38:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 37,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2077092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverHunter/pseuds/SilverHunter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Minato is alive but just barely, hoping to find his son after all these years. Difficult times are ahead as he now must deal with his past while trying to gain his strength back and also learn to live his new life. His homecoming will now change the lives of those who used to know him and he will change the fate of his old village that has now been rebuilt.<br/>Naruto is now turning 18 and is finally respected around the city for what he has done for them. Kakashi is not dead and Sasuke is missing as no one knows what has happened to him. Will Minato be able to help his son now that he is back?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Darkness and Hope

**Author's Note:**

> This is actually a fic that I started to write years ago but abandoned it, just to have this nagging voice in the pack of my head the whole time to start it over again and I did. I am glad that I did but I have no clear ending for this in mind still yet. The story will evolve with every chapter I wrote, based on the reviews and ideas I get. I haven't decided if there is going to be romance in this story but I am not against it. Just leave a review and we will see what happens ; )
> 
> Also, I put this fic under the Teen And up Rating and also under warning of Graphic Depictions of Violence just in case, It might not go that far but there is a very good change that it might.

\---

“I am tired again even if I must have just woken up but I can’t be sure anymore. It’s hard to say when I am asleep and when I am awake but I guess that it makes sense as nothing ever changes. I don’t know what to even think anymore. Should I be afraid…? Is that what you want now? When can I go home? My son is waiting…” 

Silence, darkness, and endless questions that only hung in the air as they came out from a pair of dry lips; those where the only things one forsaken soul knew in his questionable existence. His own raspy voice had been his only company for God knows how long now and it sometimes made him doubt if it truly even was his voice.

“You think too much… Accept it already that you are with us now. There is no other place for you in this world anymore.” A voice whispered back and this time it wasn’t his own as it sounded hollow, like an echo from somewhere far away.

"I want to go home…" He whispered with a louder voice this time, struggling to form the sentence now that there was something else other than just him and the darkness.

"This is your home."

"No. No... My home is there where my loved ones are and not here with you.” He said, listening to how a quiet and questioning laugh disturbed the calm and never ending silence.

‘At last... So I am still alive… Keep laughing... I don’t think that in heaven or in hell someone would laugh for me like that.’ He thought and took a deeper and shaky breath, making what he thought was his chest to tighten as he decided to talk again. It had been such a long time ago when he had gotten a chance like this. 

"Kyuubi will stay there where I cursed it…"

"What did you say…?"

"Kyuubi… It will stay there where I cursed it… It can't escape… It can't kill your families anymore. It can't make the land beneath your feet shake…” He said again but this time tried to sound as convincing as he could in his current state. 

"No it can't because we have you here... Only your chakra can keep it sealed in."

"I would do it myself if you would just let me…”

"Hokage-sama... We know it… We just..."

"You don't trust me... You are afraid that you can't make me do what you want me to do. Even if it seems that we both want the same but in different ways.” The words felt like they burned his mouth as they came out, they were something that he had wanted to say for a very long time now, making his tired voice rise but only slightly.

"You are really strong… Too strong…"

"Then why do you keep me here? Why you don't let me go?" The former Hokage asked with his mouth now completely dry from talking so much and looked down even if his eyes saw nothing other than darkness.

"Hokage-sama..."

"I am not your Hokage… That title has been already given to another person who is stronger than me. Someone who has done great things and who knows that true strength is hidden in every person’s heart. Believe me when I say this. I can't be the strongest anymore."

Silence was immediately taking over once again but it was different this time, he could feel it. The air was still as if the world would have stopped for the time being, leaving only one man to listen to his own breathing that had become almost painful. 

'Did they listen to me at last? Are they thinking of what they really are doing to me?'

"You don't believe that you are the strongest anymore…?” The voice asked, with a hint of curiosity as well as something else.

"Yes..."

"Why?"

"Because this world is changing constantly… I don’t know how long I have been here but I have a feeling that it has been a very long time. There could even be new generations now, strong and capable new souls and the ones who you forced me to leave behind have without a doubt become stronger while I have grown weak in this never ending darkness." The former Hokage whispered, his voice completely calm despite his pain, hiding the feelings that he had been forced to suppress for God knows how long now. He knew that if he wouldn’t have done it his mind would have gone mad with sorrow, regret and fear. He had had no other choice than to numb himself but now those buried feelings were rising towards the surface, a hint of hope with them.  


He had never truly hated his own fate; he had done what he did in order to save his village and those with their future still ahead of them. The only hate and anger that he had felt was because of his only son’s destiny.

‘I am sorry my son... But I have not given up hope on seeing you. I am still living for your sake and I will not give up. I want to see you so much that my heart can’t take it.’

" Yondaime... Minato, it is now time for us all to say goodbye.” 

Before the meaning of those words could truly sink in, before he could understand that his deepest wish was now about to come true, the world of darkness he knew grew silent once again.

\---

 

A new day was starting in the Hidden Leaf village and that meant a new day of hard work.

It had been nearly two years now since the village had been destroyed but they started slowly building it back and now it finally started to look a little like their old beloved village and yet it was different. 

They couldn’t find it in their hearts to abandon the place where they had all grown so they decided to use the lands once more even if some were against it, saying that this was the second time the village had experienced destruction and that they now should start their new life somewhere else from these cursed lands. 

Naruto had been one of those who were strongly against leaving these lands, even if they now had to build their houses in the monstrous pit in the ground. 

It wasn’t so bad though, once they got used to it, but it was hard work from day one. They had to build proper paths for the chopped woods and other equipment so it was natural that soon the main roads had been subconsciously made like mostly rest of the town. Tsunade thought that it would be the best and didn’t want to participate in the planning of the city until her judgment was needed, that way the village would find its true new form she said. 

She had been incredibly happy when she had realized how many had survived after their fight with Madara was over, but the losses they had experienced were great nevertheless. It would take time until Konoha would reclaim its power and the sorrow in people’s hearts would become easier to deal with and that concerned her also.

Thinking about her old friend’s death still brought tears in the corners of her eyes if she let her emotions take the best of her and she had come to accept that time was the only way to heal the wounds they were all carrying.  
Even so it was now part of the past, a past that had led them to this day. 

The day when the last house was finished and she smiled proudly when she looked at the owner of the two floor house made from wood and painted yellow like the sun.

“This is it Naruto, your own house as a thank you from all of the villagers.” Her voice was kind and calm as she spoke and raised her left hand to rest on the shaking shoulders of the young man beside her. 

She knew that this was more than he could have wished for but it was less than he deserved in her eyes, but she figured that it would do for now. All this time Naruto had worked probably harder than many others and helped with everything he could, yet he refused to act toward building a place for himself. When someone would point it out for him he would just laugh and say that he had no problem living in the temporary barracks and tents so he was in no hurry.

She figured that it was partly because he seemed to enjoy living with the rest of the villagers, who had also not yet managed to get a roof over their heads. He probably found comfort for his own losses that way and everyone let him. She still remembered how Kakashi had smiled one night over the evening fire where they cooked their meals during the first weeks and when she asked her what he was thinking he just pointed at Naruto who was talking with his friends.

“After everything that has happened, it’s good that he at least doesn’t have to be alone for now.” 

Those words from Kakashi had played over and over again in her head during this time and now when they stood here in front of Naruto’s very own first house she found herself thinking if this was what the boy really wanted.  
It was clearly overwhelming for him as she could see tears rolling down his cheeks and she couldn’t blame him. All his life all he had wanted was to have people acknowledge his existence and his worth as human and ninja. This was, in a way, a proof of that happening.

“T-thank you…” It came in sobs but the gratitude was clear in his voice and as he raised his hands to try to wipe the endless tears from his face, Tsunade couldn’t hold back her emotions anymore and she wrapped her arms around the young boy who had now turned into a fine young man and let her own tears fall.

“No, thank you, Naruto. For everything.”

\---


	2. Mission within mission

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning! There is some graphic explanation near the end of the chapter.

It was the beginning of new day in Sunagakure and as the sun slowly made its way to lay gentle light in their awakening city, there was one person who watched it calmly.

Gaara of the sand, the famous Kazekage, always found the first moments of the day calming his soul and like all beautiful things in life, he knew to treasure it while it lasted, in his own quiet way.

He was a ninja after all and he knew, like all the other people in his village, that while it takes months for a new life to be born, it will only take a blink of the eyes for a life to end. It sometimes made him stop and think of his past life and all the things that he had done, just like today when he watched the orange colors of dawn dancing in the sky with a cup of tea in his hand.

There were rumors that he had become soft but he didn't see it that way. He would still fight and kill without hesitation if his people were in danger, but he also found it to be part of him to question and listen to them. He had been entrusted with the job of Kazekage after all and that meant that he was entrusted with a power much greater than what Shukaku had been able to give to him. He who had once seen all people around him as enemies was now the one who held their life and future in his hands.

He turned his eyes from the sun to look at his teacup before taking a sip from it and then placing in on the desk next to him, it had gone cold a while ago anyway.

A gentle knock on his door made him sigh and turn his chair around so that he would be able to greet his visitor in a proper manner, even if he thought he knew who it was this early.

"Come in." He said calmly and the door opened to reveal a very familiar blonde in a black kimono behind it with a big smile on her lips.

"Morning Gaara. Still up and early in the break of dawn I see, or is it that you haven't slept again?" Temari asked and her smile disappeared almost completely, making her eyes change also. She always worried over him, even when he didn't need it and while Gaara insisted that she would have to stop this motherly act he secretly felt a little happy to know that she cared.

It was getting hard for him to remember the time when she had started to act differently toward him but he figured that it would have had to start at the time when his actions changed and his bloodlust started to fade. It had been a slow change but when he had become Kazekage the walls around the siblings had started to crumble even more, especially the ones that Gaara had built around himself.

While his siblings had simply been only his bearable teammates in the past, they now felt like a family to him in their own weird way.

"I had paperwork to do." Gaara said and pointed out the piles of paper resting at the other end of his desk, making Temari sigh before walking across the room to now stand right in front of his desk, never breaking the eye contact that they had.

"That doesn't mean that you need to skip sleep. I don't even see any source of light here that would help you to read them in middle of the night." She said, her voice a little lower and more serious than usual as her eyes now broke the contact in order to check the surroundings.

"I had a candle but it burned out and I threw it out with the other trash." Gaara said, his voice still calm and collected as usual as he watched his sister reclaim their eye contact now with a slight frown on her face. That was when Gaara noticed that his usually refreshed sister seemed to be lacking sleep as well.

"Temari, has something happened?" He questioned before she could voice her thoughts of his sleeping schedule and that made the blonde blink a few times in confusion. Yes they had become closer but it was still really rare for Gaara to openly show any kind of concern toward his siblings, if they weren't in life threatening danger that is, so that took Temari by surprise.

A gentle smile reached her lips and the frown disappeared altogether.

"I am fine Gaara. A friend came over last night after that messenger you sent last night and wanted to talk about her relationship problems, that's all." She said and couldn't help but giggle a little, making her little brother feel a little confused at what was funny about that.

"You should have just told her that you have work today and sent her away." He said but she just smiled at him with a small sparkle in her eyes. Sometimes he really couldn't understand what she was thinking and this time it was his turn to sigh as he reached for one particular paper roll wrapped with red string lying on his desk and handed it over to the blond.

"I know you will have your hands full soon but I need you to take this to Tsunade in Konoha. It contains questions as to whether they need anything more for their village, like materials or work help. I know that they are nearly finished for the time being but I'd still like to make sure." Gaara spoke as he handed the paper to Temari's waiting hand and reached then to take a white envelope from the top desk drawer.

"This one goes to Naruto, give it to him personally like always and wait for him to answer back. It shouldn't take him long to write a letter to me this time."

As Temari took the envelope she couldn't help but smile as she watched the name written on its backside. She was so grateful that his little brother had managed to make friends that had lasted this long and seemed to be in no hurry to end their bond. It was actually the opposite; he and Naruto had become even closer friends a couple of years ago and it seemed to pain the redhead that they couldn't meet more than a few times a year now because of their busy schedules and because of the amount of work they both had had to do in order to rebuild their villages.

"Don't worry, I will take it to him personally, Kazekage-sama." She said with a teasing manner and bowed her head before turning around and walking to the door that now seemed to almost shine with the morning light, just like the rest of the room that was bathing in it because of the many windows.

"Again, how many times have I told you that you don't need to do that or address me by my title when there is just the two or three of us." He said and even though Gaara did a great job of hiding it, Temari knew that her previous actions had annoyed her little brother, so she was glad that her back was turned to him when she couldn't help but grin.

"I know, but that's exactly why it's fun. See ya Gaara." She said as she slipped away, closing the door soundlessly behind her and leaving her little brother to watch the village slowly wake up.

...

Same time in Konoha

...

Naruto Uzumaki took a deep breath, smelling his breakfast ramen with hungry eyes.

He could hardly remember anymore the time when he could enjoy his cup of ramen in peace like this, not having to rush to do the jobs waiting for him or into the battles that he would have to face next. He didn't regret any of those though, he was glad that he could have been of help.

The steam gently caressed his face as he raised the food in his mouth with chopsticks and took a loud gulp, this time eating slower than usual as his mind started to wander.

Two years was a long time and yet it felt like almost no time had gone since the fierce battle against the Akatsuki and Madara. He still remembered everything clearly when he would stop like he was now doing and he hated it. That was why he had used almost every moment he could to do something, to trick his mind into thinking about something else.

Naruto quickly shook his head and resumed eating, finishing his cup before it could get cold and placed it on the small table in the middle of his new kitchen.

It had been yesterday that Tsunade had sent out a word for him to come and meet with her near the new school, at his first day off from work in a long time. It had puzzled him what the woman would want and for a moment he had feared that they were under attack again so he stopped the meal that he and Sakura had been eating and hurried to the meeting place, Sakura close behind him.

…

Memory flash

…

Naruto and Sakura ran to the meeting place where Tsunade had told Naruto to meet with her and they were surprised to find Tsunade standing next to the new entrance of the school with Iruka, talking casually about something before turning to face them. Naruto and Sakura quickly realized to calm themselves down. The older ninja couldn't blame them for their fears and just calmly explained that the reason Tsunade asked Naruto here was to show him something.

The face of innocent confusion made both Iruka and Tsunade smile as she asked them to follow, leading them to the other side of the school. It took them no more than twenty steps when Tsunade stopped and that only made the young blonde even more confused. When he opened his mouth to question the older woman walking in front of him she made a gesture for Naruto to come and stand next to her.

Behind Naruto's back, Iruka had put his hand on Sakura's shoulder, silently asking her to watch.

"Say Naruto, what do you think of this house over there?" Tsunade suddenly asked, pointing her finger at the newly finished wooden house across the sand road that surrounded the school.

There was a Sakura tree sapling planted in its small front yard where a few blades of grass had made their way to the surface and a flowerpot stood next to the door that held a hand painted name tag hanging there that made Naruto's eyes widen in shock.

"Personally I think that it's nice. It's the only one with such a color in the village but it somehow suits it." Tsunade said as the other didn't answer back, just staring at the building that he hadn't even known was under construction here.

All Naruto could do was stare at the forest green colored door that stood out clearly from the yellow walls, lost for words but being filled with even more emotions.

"W-what is t-this?" The boy finally managed to ask, his voice shaking just like the hand that he raised to point at the sight in front of his quickly clouding eyes. Was this really...?

"This is it Naruto, your own house as a thank you from all of the villagers."

The words sunk deep in Naruto's heart, making it feel like it would soon explode.

He had seen the changes, how people who used to run away from him now walked toward him with big smiles instead. He had heard the whispers of hatred turn into respect and people actually greeted him in the streets as he walked. It still felt strange some days but he loved every minute, every smile he got and he finally felt like he truly belonged here.

This beautiful and big house with his name hanging on the door was something he couldn't describe with words and even if he could come up with them his voice wouldn't let him say them out loud, still he needed to try.

"T-thank you…" That was all he could say now, even if it sounded so pitiful in his own ears as he couldn't help himself from starting to sob and that was when he felt the salty tears running down his scarred cheeks. Maybe if this wouldn't have come so suddenly and unexpected he could have kept his cool but everyone knows that when you fear for the worst and are instead given something significant the heart takes over the brains.

As warm and loving hands wrapped around his shaking body he lowered his head to rest on Tsunade's shoulder, hugging her back and continuing to cry. There was no reason for him to hold back this time and he knew it.

"No, thank you Naruto. For everything." She said so gently that he had to raise his head and look at her eyes. He knew it, she was crying also.

"The villager's thought that building you a house next to the school would be a symbol of you always protecting everyone."

Naruto's eyes widened slightly and he turned around to see Iruka smile at him with all the love in the world and all he could do was smile back.

"That's a nice thought." Sakura whispered, wiping her own tears, laughing a little as she locked eyes with Naruto.

"Didn't see this coming did you?" She asked and as she took a couple steps forward Tsunade took her hands away and stepped back instead, letting the two old teammates and friends have their own moment.

Sakura's eyes were so warm and bright as she stared at him, giving him a smile that he wished some lucky man would cherish in the near future.

"Naruto, we have been friends for years now and known each other even before that. We have gone thought a lot together and I have seen you fight battles that many can't even imagine and that is exactly why I am more than delighted for you to finally receive a place to truly call home. A home where I hope that you will let me come and visit you, just like everyone else who loves you."

If it would have been possible, the tears falling down those scarred cheeks would have doubled like the amount of emotions he felt. Naruto could hardly hear Sakura's words but he was glad he did, he wanted to remember this for the rest of his life.

" I am grateful to know you, to call you my friend." That was when her voice finally broke down, slowly fading away, just to come back as sobs as they both could no longer deny their hands reaching out for a more intimate need to let the other know how they both felt.

…

End of memory flash

…

Naruto was not sure how long they had hugged each other but the feeling of not wanting to let go was still strong in Naruto today as he rose up from his chair and put his now empty bowl in the shining new sink, wiping a few tears away in the same time.

He knew that he was a very emotional person and most of the time he was not embarrassed to show it but Naruto felt like this was not a day when he wanted to cry. That was because this was a start of a new life for him and Sakura had promised to help him go and get some stuff that he would now need in the empty house. All he had for now was his sleeping bag in the middle of the room next to his small open kitchen where a rundown table and one chair stood.

Of course he had his backpack with all his clothes and equipment but he didn't really feel like putting them anywhere even if he had discovered that he had a wardrobe in the bedroom upstairs, something he had been puzzled with last night.

He still felt just as uncomfortable as he had last night when he had entered the house and looked around as it felt nothing like the old place he had been living in earlier.

He could tell that all the rooms were not big but not small either, just enough for their purposes he thought. Of course he could use the rooms however he wanted but it didn't take a genius to figure out what they were originally probably meant for.

Downstairs consisted of a small open kitchen where Naruto now stood and an empty space next to it, the size of a small bedroom, that Naruto assumed would make a good dining area for bigger family. Behind it was a small bathroom and a bigger room that could be used as living room, he could definitely fit almost all of his friends there with ease if he could find the right furniture.

Smiling at the thought, Naruto turned his head to watch the wooden stairs that lead to the second floor.

Up there was also a small bathroom, three other rooms that could be considered good sized bedrooms and the walk-in wardrobe. It really felt too big for him, but he figured that he could get used to the space as he figured out what to do with all the rooms.

All in all, the house wasn't as big as he had first thought, but big nevertheless, too big for one person in his mind. He kept finding himself wondering if it was a hint from the villagers for something.

A knock on the door got him out of his thoughts, knowing who it was and smiled.

"Door's open, come on in Sakura!" He yelled, knowing that the pink haired girl was curious to see the insides of the house and he was right, as the door opened it revealed one really curious looking female stepping in with a bright smile on her soft lips.

"Morning Naruto! Ready to go shopping?"

...

Somewhere in the desert

…

The sun that had just seemed to appear in the horizon was now bathing the sand covered lands of Sunagakure and also the desert surrounding it, making the temperature rise more and more. It was not even near the hottest hours of the day but those who were not used to traveling here were feeling the effects of the sun, their eyes seeing hallucinations of different kinds.

The cruel desert was a place where many had faced their final moments and found their eternal resting place under the endlessly moving sand.

That was why a good guide to lead your group through the desert was worth every coin and if one would be foolish enough to seek those who cost only half, the outcome would change their mind forever if they survived.

That was why Temari was now leading the small group of shinobi from the Hidden village of Grass that had come a couple of days ago to discuss possible trades of equipments and materials between the two. She had to remind herself to ask Gaara when she came back what they wished to obtain from their country as she was not very keen on asking the men running behind her.

They seemed to have some problems running in the sand as wind blew in their face and a couple of them had already fallen down when they had misplaced their feet just slightly. It made Temari smile but she was forced to hide it of course for the sake of their possible future business. She could easily tell that they were out of their element and Gaara had been wise to manage it so that they could leave with Temari.

She knew when to slow down her running or take a safer route but more importantly she knew not to tease them.

Being the Ambassador of the Hidden village of Sand had its ups and downs but usually she managed to keep her cool and even stay friendly, today, though, she was not feeling talkative at all.

She couldn't explain it but she had had this weird feeling ever since she woke up this morning, like she should hurry somewhere. Maybe it was because it was a season for big sandstorms and the fact that they had to leave in the early morning and not in the early evening yesterday when she had first wanted to go. It was so much better traveling by night but no matter how she tried to explain it to her group, they wouldn't listen. Did they think that they would be killed in the dark desert? Assassinated? Left behind there? If so, they were nothing but fools and were now paying the price for that under the sun.

At least they had enough brains to accept the white cloaks to protect them from the worst light of the sun and also from the blowing sand.

Even though she was now also sweating, her body could take both the heat and the running and she was not going to stop until those four would ask her to, she had her doubts of that happening though.

…

A couple of days later

….

Finally they had managed to reach the Hidden village of Grass and Temari was able to leave toward her true destination, Konohagakure, feeling slightly exhausted.

The last couple of days had really been a challenge for her nerves. She was used to people judging her because of her birthplace but the looks that she had gotten from those men were really something. They didn't trust her one bit and she wouldn't have cared otherwise but Gaara had told her to be especially nice to them. She soon learned though that the best way for her to be "nice" was to remain silent.

"Idiots." She whispered as she jumped from one tree to another.

At least she knew that she would be treated differently in Konoha and the frown that had constantly remained on her face for these past few days started to finally soften.

It had been months since she had been able to visit them last and she had to admit to herself that she missed their company. Especially one lazy ass cutie… She was also curious to see how the building had been going and what things still needed work done, maybe she could even stay a little and help them out, but probably not because she knew that Gaara was waiting for her to come back.

Her face finally softened to a smile as she thought of the letter in her pocket.

Temari had always found Naruto interesting, one way or another, as something always seemed to happen near him. The boy was like a lighthouse that attracted trouble toward him but also different kinds of interesting people. Something about him felt just exceptional and clearly her brother felt the same way as Gaara wanted to keep in touch with him and know more about him. It sometimes made her wonder if her little brother could even have a slight crush on the blond, she thought as she quickly crossed a small open meadow and giggled.

It was hard to say whether she would have missed the flash of blond hair and something white in the corner of her eye just when she jumped up in one partially large tree, if she hadn't been thinking about Naruto.

"What the?..."

She was still rather far from Konoha and the Hidden village of Grass was now hours away behind her so she hadn't expected to see anyone around here. Of course there was always a chance of meeting other ninjas but it seemed like something was off so she stopped, focusing her eyes to look at the nonmoving target in the middle of the forest floor.

The more she looked, the more she was sure that it was indeed a person and she wondered if she should just leave and keep going. The person was probably dead, maybe assassinated because no one in their right mind would sleep in such a place where you could easily be targeted. Something stopped her though, as she turned around ready to leave, and she bit her lip.

Temari sighed. Even if this person might be dead she should at least confirm the cause of death and where he or she was from and then inform them with a proper report.

Making sure that her weapons were in quick reach of her hands, in case something happened, she approached the unmoving body, studying it closely.

The first thing that she noticed was the hair. It was really long and bushy, clearly dirty and was covering the face. Even if the body was lying on its back, it was still hard to tell for sure if this was a man or a woman, so she stepped even closer to examine it, now standing just next to the figure.

This person seemed to indeed be a ninja as they wore a leaf green flak jacket, blue trousers and blue sandals but he also had a long white haori with orange flames on its edges over his uniform. The odd thing about the whole outfit was that it was all run down, dirty and looked really old. The whole person looked like an old run down doll in her eyes and she couldn't help but lean closer.

By the look of the outfit she thought that this person belonged to Konoha and that made her nervous. She would hate to bring such news to them so she had to make sure and her eyes fixated on the headband she could see on the forehead.

She had seen countless dead bodies before and even killed her fair share so why was reaching her hand out to move those long bangs of hair aside making her even more nervous?

"Get a grip girl." She whispered and with a serious face she revealed the face of this mysterious person, just to gasp in horror.

It was indeed a person from Konoha but that was not the main reason for her shock. She could now see that this person was a man but even that was hard to tell as he seemed to have no other than skin and bones left on his body.

His skin was completely pale and he looked actually sick and dead at the same time. His lips looked so dry and badly cracked, that Temari unconsciously licked her own lips to get some more moisture on them. She could see all the bones that made his facial features and while she was glad that his eyes were closed and that the person had clothes that hid his withered body she couldn't help but to look at the hands that matched the face.

"This is awful." She said, not feeling the need to hold her tongue as she looked at the body.

"It's like he was starved to death…"

She had seen a lot in her days but never could she remember seeing something like this and she couldn't help but wonder what had happened to this man and who he was as he somehow looked like an important person. It was strange.

That was when Temari suddenly realized something that made the hair on her neck stand up and her whole body tense up.

Usually a forest like this was lively, birds singing and animals moving around but right now she couldn't hear a thing. There was no visible life around her or even a small wind moving the branches in order to make a sound.

There seemed to be nothing else here than her and this dead person in front of her but as she turned around to look at the body one last time she saw something that made her skin turn white and cold, her heart skipping a beat at the same time.

The eyes of the body that she had confirmed dead were now open and blindly looking in front of them toward the tree tops and the light blue sky.

This had to be some kind of illusion, this man couldn't possibly be alive! She didn't see the body even breath, let alone that it could hold enough power to keep the internal organs functioning!

"Is someone there?" The soft and hoarse voice caught her off guard and made her eyes widen with horror and her legs give up under her as she screamed.

She had to be dreaming, that was it. It had already started getting late so maybe she had made a temporary camp because she hadn't had proper sleep in days and was now having a very weird dream.

"Where am I?" This time the man's voice was quieter, like it was fading away and it snapped Temari out of her shock, giving her back the strength of her legs.

"You are near Konoha. That is where you are from right?" Temari asked, looking down into the cloudy blue eyes that she realized couldn't see her anymore.

"Konoha…" This time the man said it like he was dreaming and Temari's surprise, a smile appeared on his horribly dry lips while she could do nothing else but stare at him. That smile, for some reason it looked almost… familiar.

"Who are you?" Temari found herself asking as she saw that the eyes were starting to close again and the smile faded away like the voice that found the last drops of strength to answer her question. If only she would have been observant and her senses as sharp as they usually were she could have felt that there was another pair of eyes staring at her intensively from the shadows.

"My name is Minato." The man managed to whisper before he became as still as a statue once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you liked it : )


	3. Do you know him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am very sorry for being so lazy at updating this story here. If you like it you can find it in Fanfiction.net also :)

.

It had been a long time since Temari had run this fast, breaking some of the smaller tree branches under her powerful legs as she jumped forward. Her normally steady heart was now beating a little faster than she would have hoped but she blamed it on the speed she was forcing herself to keep, gripping a tighter hold of her load that she was carrying on her back.

She didn't dare to turn her head to watch the calm face that rested against her shoulder, feeling the body of this unknown man limply resting against her was enough.

After hearing the man talking with a voice that sounded almost inhuman, she had quickly decided that she couldn't leave him there. Not a single cell in her body could understand how this person was still alive but she understood perfectly well that he was hanging on by some string of miracle. She used all her strategy skills in order to just get him on to her back and wasn't surprised when he felt as light as a small child.

She knew that she needed to hurry in order to have the slightest hope of saving this man but she also had to hurry in case they would be noticed and attacked. They were now an easy target, her main weapon pinned between her back and the man's chest and her hands keeping him from falling off. She was not going to abandon him as things were now, but would in case her own life became threatened, so she hoped for his sake that something like that wouldn't have to happen.

"Don't you dare to die on me now when I am going through all this trouble in order to save you Minato." She said and continued with a determination that made her speed increase even more.

She couldn't understand why she needed to do this though. It was strange, but something about this person just seemed to pull her in, making her want to help him.

She focused her eyes to see in front of her in the constantly darkening area and when everything finally turned almost black around her she had to wonder just how long she had been running. If it would have been someone else here in the woods they would have maybe been more worried about the directions but not Temari, she was sure that she was near Konoha by now.

Maybe it had something to do with the traveling back and forth to Konoha and Suna or with the fact that she had been raised in the desert where getting lost was not an option, but she could always tell where she needed to go. Even now, when she had been forced to make a stop in the Hidden village of Grass that had messed up her usual route to Konoha. Temari herself liked to think that she had an excellent instinct.

"We are almost there. Just hang on." She said as she saw a glimpse of the high stone wall that shined slightly in the first rays of moonlight. Being a ninja and an Ambassador she knew better than to not just rush in, in the middle of the night in a village that was guarded by few, but more than skilled high level shinobi.

Landing on the ground from the last nearby trees she felt it to be best to step out of the shadow and stand firmly on an open spot so that she could be seen by the guards who she on the other hand could sense but not see.

"My name is Temari and I come from Sunagakure! I found a man near death and I have a reason to believe that he belongs to Konoha!" She said with a loud and rather stern voice, hoping to make it clear that she was in a hurry and indeed two men jumped right in front of her. She immediately recognized the two but felt a little embarrassed that she couldn't remember their names, not like she was ever going to admit anything like that though.

The one with wild spiky black hair and a piece of white clothing or bandage covering his cheeks and nose stepped closer and she could see the serious look on his face and also on the other man's face.

"Who is he and what happened to him?" The man asked and Temari groaned in frustration. She knew that they had strict rules now from Tsunade to check everyone who would try to enter the village but to be honest, she was getting rather freaked out at carrying this man. She couldn't even feel his pulse or breathing, just something else that she couldn't really figure out.

"I am not sure, he said that his name is Minato and I found him on the way here from the Hidden village of Grass and he needs urgent treatment from Tsunade, in order to have a chance to live past the night." She said, trying to keep her voice from rising but it seemed that the two men now understood the situation and motioned to Temari to go.

She wasted no time and in the blink of an eye she was now running and jumping on top of the new building with grace and perfect accuracy.

"I really hope that I did the right thing." She whispered as she finally landed on the balcony on the first floor of the new Hokage residence, hoping to find Tsunade there.

"I need to see Tsunade. This person is dying." Temari said with the calmest voice she could as a kunai was pressed on the side of her neck at the second her feet touched the building, knowing fully well that one wrong move would end it all without any questions asked. She also didn't need to see the person behind her to know that he or she had a white mask with red paint on it; the gentle touch of the kunai was more than enough to let her know she was dealing with one of the Hokage's own personal ninjas, the ANBU.

There was a small moment of silence as both of them remained still until the kunai was removed and the window opened to let Temari in.

…

A couple of moments later

…

Never in her life had Shizune seen Tsunade like this. They had been having a nice evening at the office, drinking some sake and relaxing after a rather hard day filled with meetings and paperwork when one of their subordinates had come and knocked on the door.

When she had let the man in and asked what was so important that he had to interrupt them, Tsunade had merely raised an eye brow when he had told them that Temari from Sunakagure had arrived and brought an injured person with her and was urgently requesting the Hokage's presence.

Putting her glass down and leaving the room, Tsunade seemed rather curious about what was going on but Shizune noticed the look of worry in her eyes as well. It didn't take them long to find Temari outside an operation room that had been Tsunade's idea to build in, so that she could deal with her patience and have all her equipment and books close as well.

"Temari, nice to see you again." Tsunade said with a kind smile and the tired looking smaller woman smiled back and bowed her head slightly. It didn't go unnoticed by the two medical ninjas that she seemed to be in need of good food and rest.

"It is nice to see you as well Tsunade, I just hope that I could have come with only my primary purpose." She said as she reached to take a scroll from inside her kimono.

"This is from Gaara, he sends his regards." She said as she handed the paper to Tsunade who quickly scanned it with a smile before handing it to Shizune. She would read it more properly later as it seemed to be one of Gaara's usual checkup letters about the situation in both of their villages. No matter how many times Tsunade told Gaara to just send a message when he needed something, like she did, the young man kept sending his older sister every once in a while here without a proper reason, making the Hokage wonder about the actual true reasons behind it.

"I appreciate all the help and concern your brother has given to us and I hope that we can someday return the favor and we will discuss the matter later on but for now… I heard that you found someone on your way here?" Tsunade said and her face turned rather serious as she stared at the smaller blonde whose expression also changed.

"Yes… I have never seen anything like this before and I must say that finding out that he was still alive was shocking. He is like a living dead." Temari said while slowly shaking her head and the last sentence was almost a whisper, making both of the older woman narrow their eyes in confusion.

"What do you mean exactly?" Tsunade asked but this time before Temari could answer there was a voice calling the Hokage's name and they all stepped into the room where four of her medical team members were hurrying to do various tasks while two others were studying the patient that was lying on the operation table. The atmosphere in the room quickly told the head of the village that something was off, more than usual.

"What is wrong with the patient?!" She almost yelled while closing the small space between her and the table, but when her eyes landed on the figure's face all the hustle and noises in the room faded away and if someone explained the patient's condition to her she couldn't hear a thing.

There, in front of her eyes, lay the body of a person whose face everyone in the village knew, but that she doubted anyone would recognize given the state he was in now, except a selected few and she was one of them. It was a man who was written in their history books, a hero who sacrificed himself in order to take down one of the most powerful beasts known even today and to save most of their village and villagers a long time ago.

Not being able to believe what her eyes saw, Tsunade found herself paralyzed and unable to turn her head away, the shock that was written all over her face scaring her subordinates.

She looked like she was ready to scream and soon her body began to shake, her fingers twitching.

"How can… How is this possible?" Tsunade whispered and then suddenly turned to look at Temari with her eyes wide and so full of emotions that she startled the younger ninja who didn't seem to understand her reactions. She couldn't blame her thought, this man was supposed to have been dead for almost two decades.

"I-I am not sure. Like I said earlier, at first I was sure that he was dead but when he suddenly opened his eyes…" Temari couldn't even finish her sentence as a pair of strong hands suddenly took a bone crushing grip on her arms and she found Tsunade's face now only inches away from hers and the look she was giving her made Temari want to run away with all her might.

"He opened his eyes?" The question was quiet and her voice was so low that it didn't sound like it was coming from the Hokage's own mouth but the lips were moving all the same and her grip got even tighter, making Temari suppress a whimper of pain.

"Lady Tsunade…"

"Shut up Shizune!" Tsunade yelled as the black haired ninja tried to come closer and her harsh tone made sure that the whole room stayed quiet and still, fearing that their leader would actually hurt them or the poor young woman who could do nothing to defend herself at the moment.

"Are you sure Temari?" Tsunade asked and even if her hands didn't loosen, her voice became just a little bit softer, her brown eyes never leaving Temari's teal colored one's.

"Yes. He also spoke." At that Tsunade's eyes got even bigger if that was even possible and she took a shaky breath before she opened her mouth.

"What did he say?"

"He asked where he was and who was there with him. He also seemed to recognize the name of Konoha when I asked if he was from here but he become unconscious once again after I asked him his name." Temari explained in the calmest way she could manage in this situation. She could feel the taller woman now starting to shake again and hear Tsunade breath heavily as she tried to contain her racing mind and her emotions that became painfully clear for Temari when she was sure her arms would soon split into two. Only when she yelped out loud did the Hokage finally release her grip, making the smaller ninja quickly step back into the arms of Shizune.

It seemed first that Tsunade was not even aware of what she had just done but when it sunk in she bit her lip so hard that it almost started to bleed and raised one of her still trembling hand to cover half of her face.

"I… I am so sorry Temari…"

There was no way that Temari could answer back with comfort, but she wanted answers now and she was going to demand them right there and then as her own emotions started to rise into the surface.

"What exactly is going on? Who is this man? Do you know him somehow?" Even if Temari knew that Tsunade could just dismiss her with one simple gesture she also knew that her assault against her was something more than just a trivial matter. She was going to demand some answers even if it would mean blackmailing one of the Legendary Sannins.

After a moment of silence it seemed that Tsunade understood her intent and let out a long and almost painful sigh. Then she turned her back to Temari and slowly walked next to the operation table where the man that was covered with mysteries lay just as motionless as when Temari had first found him.

If they could have seen the warmth that took place in Tsunade's eyes the confusions in their hearts would have diminished a little.

"Do I know him you ask? The answer is yes and so do you too, even if you don't realize it." Tsunade said with a gentle voice as she reached her hand to touch that sickly pale face that had once held a much healthier shade on it with one of the most wonderful smiles she knew.

"You said that he told you his name? I take it that he didn't say his full name?" Tsunade continued and turned her head just slightly to see Temari look at her and nod. She could only smile in return and turned her eyes back to the man.

"This person here is the reason that Konoha even exists today." She told her, and instead of finding a peace of mind from the answer it only added more fuel to the fire for Temari.

"But wasn't it Naruto who saved Konoha?"

A smile found its way to Tsunade's lips as Temari mentioned Naruto's name but it quickly died out when she realized that they had already been wasting precious time and decided to forget about Temari for a while as she started to shout commands to take more tests and make all the necessary preparations for a possible operation.

The hustle that had been there when she had first stepped into the room started again and she removed her hand from the man, part of her not wanting to let go and she found it really strange.

"You still haven't answered my question." Temari's voice echoed even over all the other noises and Tsunade had to give the young woman some credit when she noticed that she was being able to keep her place even with Shizune trying to bull her out of the room.

"Fine then, you will find out it very soon after all." Tsunade said, turning fully now to face those strange colored eyes that held so much determination in them. There was no denying the truth from a person who probably knew more than she did in the current moment but she had to make sure of a few things first.

"Promise me that you will keep this whole thing a secret until I tell you otherwise. Actually, I take that back. As a Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves I order you, Temari from the Village Hidden in the Sand, to keep the information I have and will now share with you a secret until you are informed otherwise by none other than myself." Tsunade said with all her authority, straightening her back and leaving no room for argument with both her body language and with her voice. Temari could only nod and straighten her back as well.

"I have reason to assume that the person you have brought here today is none other than Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage of our village who died nearly twenty years ago while protecting Konoha from the Nine Tails attack."

When Tsunade's voice died out so did the all the voices around her, except an iron bowl full of bandages that landed on the floor with a rather loud bang. She paid no mind to the shocked looks all around her and just calmly retrieved her white medical coat that was hanging on the wall. Just when she was about to put it on, she suddenly stopped, realizing something rather important.

"Shizune, have someone send a message for Kakashi to meet me at my office tomorrow morning."

…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it :)


	4. He needs to know

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please check out Awesomenaruto from Fanfiction.net who is helping me by being my beta for this story :)

Hatake Kakashi was someone who was known to always be late from almost anywhere, only seeming to pay attention to the aspect of time when he was on a mission. Today though was a rare exception as he had woken up even before the sun had risen and for some reason couldn't fall back asleep. He faintly remembered having a weird dream but couldn't remember what it was all about so after laying on his bed for an hour he finally got up, and boiled himself a cup of tea.

"I guess I have nothing to eat here." He wondered out loud as he tried to at least find a piece of bread but had no such luck today either. Being a high leveled Jonin with lot of missions made it better to only buy things that wouldn't rot in his cabinet while he was away for days, weeks or even months, but days like this made Kakashi wish that he had something eatable. He would have to visit the local store for some supplies later, unless the reason why Tsunade wanted to see him was to send him on some mission again, like last time. It seemed like lately all he did was take one mission after another outside the village; he hadn't even seen Naruto or Sakura for weeks now.

Deciding to go out to find some breakfast, he put on his usual outfit and made sure his face and eye were covered like always before he left.

Just when the first rays of sunshine started to appear Kakashi walked the quiet streets, finding himself remembering what the village used to look like a few years ago.

The buildings were now bigger and taller but they were still built with the same style as the previous ones, and the silver haired shinobi was glad for it. Some of the new buildings were painted with different colors like light blue or pale brown, some even using red to make their house stand out, but the one that always seemed to catch everyone's eyes was the bright yellow one next to the school.

He had been surprised when he had first heard the rumors about everyone wanting to give Naruto such a present and when they turned out to be true, he had made sure to participate in the making to show his support. It had been troublesome to keep the boy away from the area for so long and to also find ways to deceive his curious nature when he seemed to suspect something.

Even if it was a very nice thing to do Kakashi still had his doubts about the fact that Naruto would like being alone in such a big house. He still remembered the look on Sasuke's face when he had secretly checked up on him in his family house from time to time. A true home was not something that could be obtained with a lot of space or earthly materials, and loneliness was something that could only be eased with the company of the ones you love. The mere thought of that made the copy ninja lower his eyes to the ground, his chest tightening as he kept walking.

He knew that he couldn't fully understand what the two had gone through, as the pain in everyone's heart was always different, but he did understand what it meant to be lonely. Even now after all this time he still greatly missed all those he had lost and he believed that he never could fully stop the pain in his own heart or the blame that he holds for himself.

"Maybe I should visit Naruto before I leave for another mission." He whispered as he walked past the Ichiraku Ramen shop that Naruto still adored and visited regularly, and he smiled at the fact that the old man had wanted to build an exact copy of his old place.

It was a miracle that Naruto could stay as healthy as he was while eating so much snacks and take-out food. The blond didn't even seem to consider eating something with nutrients and vitamins on it rather than fat; being a ninja meant that one should take care of both his body and mind after all. Not that Ichiraku's Ramen wasn't delicious though, and Kakashi wondered how many times he had taken Naruto there just as an excuse for his own craving.

Noticing now that the amount of light around the village was starting to increase considerably he started to walk a little faster and soon found his feet entering the Hokage's residence. He raised his hand as a greeting for those who were already working around the place and slowly walked over to Tsunade's office door, knocking on it a few times.

Usually there would be an immediate answer but this time nothing could be heard from the room and Kakashi frowned. There was no mistake of the fact that he had been summoned here so he simply wondered if he had come too early; it was not something that Tsunade would expect him to do after all.

"I guess I can wait." He murmured and leaned against the wall, taking out one of his beloved books. He usually always liked reading them, but as minutes passed by and when the clock on the wall showed him that an hour had passed and then two, he finally closed the book and started to make his way back to the first floor where the reception desk was.

"Hello Kakashi, can I help you with something?" The middle aged woman currently behind it asked when she saw him coming toward her and Kakashi smiled behind his mask.

"Aah you see I was asked by Tsunade to come and meet with her today but I can't seem to find her anywhere." He said sheepishly as he put his other hand to his hair to ruffle it up a little, not that it wasn't messed up already; acting innocent just always seemed to work.

"Oh I see, then she must still be at the operation room. I believe that it won't take them long anymore to finish, they have been in there for the whole night apparently." The woman said as she watched the papers in front of her, and Kakashi wondered if he could get some more information out of her. It was unusual for Tsunade to stay there during the whole operation so it made him question what was going on.

"Who is injured?" He asked calmly, not shoving more than a hint of curiosity in his voice and the woman looked at her papers again.

"I am sorry but I don't seem to have any information about the patient." She said and Kakashi sighed, checking the clock once again. More and more people seemed to be coming into the building, signaling that working hours for the office workers have already started.

"Do you know when they will finish?" He asked, questioning quietly why today of all the possible days did he have to be early.

"I am sorry but I don't." The answer was short and somewhat blunt, making it seem almost like the woman actually knew something but was keeping her mouth shut. If that was true then something was indeed going on that wasn't meant for everyone's ears and Kakashi started to wonder about the reason why he was called here.

He sighed once again and then thanked the woman before he turned to leave, figuring that he wasn't going to get anything from her. This was starting to feel like one of those days when nothing was going to go as he had hoped.

As he walked again toward Tsunade's office he noticed a few members from her medical team walking toward him, talking quietly with each other. The look of exhaustion and a lack of sleep on their faces told him that they must have been in that operating room all night as well. Kakashi had to admit that he was a little curious about the mystery operation but there was also something else in their eyes that caught his attention, making him focus his ears as the two now passed him.

"I almost didn't believe the results myself, they just don't make any sense. " It was just one sentence but now Kakashi was almost sure that it had something to do with the fact that he was called here. It was time to get some answers.

Stopping next to Tsunade's office he was relief to hear voices from inside and knocked, opening the door as he was given the permission to enter.

"You are late!" Tsunade shouted immediately as their eyes met but her voice lacked its usual energy and Kakashi saw the dark circles under her eyes that seemed to be slightly bloodshot. The lady at the counter hadn't been lying; she really looked like she had been up all night.

"Well, actually…" Kakashi started but was cut off fast, making him take a mental note to watch his mouth with the Hokage today. Lack of sleep didn't suit her, he thought as he saw her face darken.

"I don't want your excuses Kakashi! I have had enough of them already… Sit down."

That was when the silver haired ninja noticed a wooden seat in the middle of the room, right in front of the Hokage's desk. He closed the door behind him and stepped closer, not understanding the need for the chair but still taking a seat on it. He would have refused if the mood in the room had been different or if Tsunade's voice had left even a hint for argument, but it seemed that even Shizune, who stood quietly beside her master, wanted him to take a seat, so he did.

"What exactly is going on?" Being a ninja as long as he had been and having to deal with serious missions, Kakashi had already collected enough information to come to the conclusion that what he was about to hear was something other than an explanation about his usual missions. Even so, nothing could have prepared him for what was about to come.

Taking a deep sigh before answering, Tsunade seemed to consider her words thoroughly while Kakashi simply waited, both feeling the need to let the other work their thoughts through.

"I take it that you have already heard that I was treating a patient for the whole night?" Tsunade finally said, breaking the silence with her tired voice while massaging her temples, not yet wanting to face the man who simply nodded.

She had kind of expected Kakashi to ask about the operation but as the silence continued she felt that she needed to give the man some credit, it was rather obvious that he was curious after all and she couldn't blame him. If only he knew even half of what she had found out he wouldn't have been able to stay so calm…

"It was a person who was found deep in the forest, half a day's way from Hidden Village of Grass toward our village." She continued calmly while closing her eyes and lifting her hands in front of her face, elbows on the table and looking like she was silently praying for something. This was even harder than she had anticipated.

"There is no reasonable explanation yet to this person's condition, and after examining him all night all we could do was figure out how to keep him stabilized when his heart suddenly stopped beating and his vital organs seemed to shut down completely. His body lacks everything that a human body needs in order to survive and he hasn't yet shown any signs of consciousness, but we have reliable information that he did speak when he was found." Tsunade spoke, keeping it as professional as she could, while looking at Kakashi who still stared back at her without even a blink of an eye. Somehow, Kakashi's calmness made Tsunade even more restless than she already was, even if she knew that it was only the surface she saw and not the deep ocean beneath, so she turned her attention to the papers in front of her on the desk.

"We will need to run more tests but what we have confirmed this far is that it seems that no natural forces could have been able to keep this man alive. He is practically a living dead."

For that Kakashi's eye narrowed and his head leaned forward no more than an inch or two but Tsunade saw it anyway.

"What does that mean then?" Kakashi asked and the tone in his voice showed that he understood the seriousness of the matter.

"It means that something or someone has been keeping him just barely alive, in what kind of twisted ways I don't know, but it has done a lot of damage…"

"How long?" Kakashi asked, interrupting and surprising both of the medical ninjas in the room.

"I am not fully sure but I have reason to assume almost two decades." She answered, and Kakashi's eye widened, making him take a deep breath in order for the information to sink. Thinking that someone would have been kept alive for so long, just an inch away from death, made him hope that the person would have at least felt no pain while waiting for the end that never came. It also made him think about who this person was as Tsunade had not yet mentioned his name.

"It was a shock for me also and it makes me wonder just how long he has been unconscious like this." She said, almost as if reading Kakashi's mind, and when their eyes met Kakashi felt an unexplainable shiver run through his body. There was indeed something essential that Tsunade wasn't telling him, but before he could ask anything she continued.

"It is a mystery why he was found in the forest like that because there is no way that he could have gotten there on his own. As we speak he is being carefully monitored and slowly given the nutrients he desperately needs, but I still fear that in his critical state we could lose him at any minute. It will take a long time before he is safe."

"Tsunade, I would like to know why I am here." Kakashi finally notified her as she fell quiet for a moment, lost in her own thoughts, and the deep sigh she let out seemed to have been holding her last drops of strength.

"Because this person is someone who you know, someone who we all know and respect. That is why I am now doing all that I can in order to save him but in order to do that I need your help." She said and entwined her fingers together tighter in order to control her hands as they started to shake. This was it, this was the moment she had been thinking about in her head over and over again during the night. She couldn't prolong this anymore or she wouldn't be able to say it out loud and God knows that Kakashi needed to hear all this from her.

"Kakashi… The person who was found and brought here is none other than the Fourth Hokage of Konoha, Minato Namikaze."

The words that left Tsunade's mouth hit Kakashi like nothing he had ever experienced before, except when he had first heard about the death of his sensei, and suddenly he felt like he was experiencing his own Chidori being released right at his chest. He could hear nothing else other than his own heartbeat and it was quickly becoming hard to breath.

The look of pure shock was written on his face as he started to tremble and before he even realized it he was holding back tears that had appeared in the corners of his eyes.

"There has to be a mistake…" Kakashi found himself saying out loud but he could hardly recognize his own voice. His head soon became filled with memories of his youth, memories from his sensei and teammates and everything that they experienced together until he was the only one left alive. It was like all those thoughts and emotions that he had sealed away, brainwashing even himself to think that everything was fine, when all those who he had come to care for and love had died around him.

"Kakashi…"

"THAT CAN'T BE RIGHT!" Kakashi suddenly shouted, jumping up from his chair and knocking it over in the progress. It all felt like a cruel joke, a horrible and twisted joke.

If it would have been anyone else, Tsunade could have just shouted back and ordered silence but she couldn't remember ever seeing the silver haired man's only visible eye hold so much pain in it as he stared at her. It made even herself question the truth of her words and reconsider if there would have been an easier way to break the news to him.

"Minato gave away his life 18 years ago! He sacrificed himself in order to save everyone and now you are telling me that he has been kept alive all this time?!" Kakashi shouted, still unable to calm down and fully process the information to its fullest. His hands squeezed into painfully tight fists but he could hardly feel or notice the red drops that started to fall onto the floor.

"KAKASHI!" Tsunade finally shouted as she realized that others might have heard Kakashi's outburst and she feared for the consequences if the information reached wrong ears. Fortunately her authority was still carved in the man's brains and spinal cords as he seemed to come to a halt and to be able to control himself once more.

For a short moment Tsunade let her head fall into her hands and closed her eyes as she wondered about all the other things that her examinations had found out about Minato's condition. She also found herself remembering the way that they had been able to save the man from his more than expected death and counting out the possibilities of how long she would be able to keep that a secret from Kakashi when they would soon have to proceed with her plans.

"You have every right to be shocked but do understand that there is a reason why I told you everything that I did. Like I said, I need your help." Tsunade said with all the seriousness that she could manage to gather at the moment and it seemed to hit the right spot as Kakashi straightened his back, looking at her with a strong determination.

"What do I need to do?"

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that Kakashi is able to take all of this well, especially when there is a lot more to come.


	5. Everything will be alright

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Naruto or anything related to it. I make no money out of this.

The sound of steps echoed in the hallways of the Hokage's residence, each and every person carrying out their own task or a mission, while passing both familiar and unfamiliar faces.

Hundreds of people always seemed to be in a hurry inside these walls but today there was a person who was forced to walk with steady steps even if all the fibers in his body wanted to run like there was no tomorrow.

It had only been a few minutes ago when Kakashi had received the news concerning the finding of his late master whose death had been one of the hardest things he had come to eventually accept in his life. Tsunade's words still played over and over again in his mind as he walked behind the said Hokage, keeping his face as emotionless as he could. He felt a little ashamed now about his earlier outburst but part of him knew that there was nothing to apologize for.

He still felt a little light headed and confusion seemed to be a friend who stuck into him harder than glue because after he had asked from Tsunade what she need him to do all he had gotten as an answer was an order to follow. Now he was forced to control himself as they walked toward the operation room where Minato still remained and with each step Kakashi found his skin turned colder and colder while his heart seemed to be having a one sided conversation with him.

When they finally reached the doors that lead into one of the most well-kept rooms around her, Tsunade turned around to face the man behind her, but this time there was no sign of annoyance, anger or frustration in her face, only sadness and comfort.

"Are you ready?" She asked more gently than Kakashi remembered her speaking in a long time and nodded.

When the doors opened and the two medical ninja employees turned their heads to face them and bowed to their master, Kakashi's eyes locked onto the figure that was still lying on the operation table. The lights were on so he could immediately take in everything but still found his feet leading him to stand next to the unmoving body.

"We cleaned him up but I thought that giving him a haircut could wait." Tsunade said as she soon stood next to Kakashi, noticing that he had started to shake again and she wanted nothing more than to put her hand on his shoulder to comfort him. She couldn't even start to imagine what was going in that head of his but it probably didn't even compare to her own shock earlier.

All she could do now was offer him her sympathy while watching their Fourth Hokage lay on the table with a clean white tunic now covering his body, showing more of that horribly pale skin that covered his clearly visible bones.

The room felt so cold and so silent, the only sounds coming from the heart monitor that was making the steady noises it was supposed to and Kakashi was almost sure that he heard the sound of the drop falling in the IV-drip. Somehow it calmed him down though, and as he stared at his old sensei's drained and pale face, his mind slowly started to go blank. Now that Kakashi could see him with his own eyes, he felt tired and powerless, like he had suddenly aged many years and was glad that Tsunade let him have his moment before she spoke again.

"I am sorry Kakashi that I have to put you through all of this but you are probably the only one who can help me and your sensei right now. I need you to use your sharingan."

At the mention of his eye, Kakashi's head jumped up and the silent question could be heard without a word said out loud.

"A Sharingan grants you the ability to see much more than my tests can reveal because so far they have only been giving us very confusing information. I need you to see what is exactly going on inside that body of his." Tsunade said, having full confidence that he could do it no matter what the circumstances were. She would never be such a fool as to doubt Kakashi's skills when it came to fulfilling his missions, no matter what. He had never let her down and she knew that this was not going to be the first time he did.

"I will do my best." Kakashi replied and took a deep breath, calming his senses and his mind. He let Tsunade order her team to back up and when he finally felt his heart beating steadily again, Kakashi removed his forehead protector from his left eye, focusing his chakra in his eyes. What he saw was highly confusing and his mind drifted back to the comment he had heard from the two medical ninjas from Tsunade's team before he got to meet the woman herself,

"I almost didn't believe the results myself, they just don't make any sense."

He couldn't agree more.

While, outside it had seemed that Minato was nothing more than a withering corpse, his sharingan now showed him that there was a slow and steady chakra flow running through his system, even if it there was not much of it. At least that was what it looked like at first glance, but as Kakashi focused his eyes more, he soon found himself breathless.

The chakra that was running in his master's body was not Minato's own, or if it somehow was it had merged with something else and created a new kind of chakra that he had never seen. It was red just like flames but there was a dark shade on it, making it look thick like actual blood and showing a bright orange aura around it.

"What do you see Kakashi?" Tsunade asked as she saw the look on his face, his eyes wide and mouth slightly open under his mask.

"The chakra inside him, it's like it belongs to something else and has taken over his body." The jounin breathed out but didn't dare to move or turn his eyes away. It was almost like the more he stared at the slowly flowing chakra the faster and more disturbed it seemed to become, making it seem like it had a mind of its own.

"It doesn't look like Minato's own chakra, Tsunade… The color is not right and now it's starting to change." Kakashi said and suddenly realized that his voice came out only as a whisper. The air in the room also had started to change as it now felt heavier, just like his arms and slowly the rest of his body. It was almost like something was sucking all his energy out from him, making his eyes grow wide as he tried to take a step back but found his body paralyzed to its spot.

This was why all the medical team members had looked so exhausted, including Tsunade herself. Somehow this strange chakra that had taken over Minato's body was eating away all the energy around him, stealing chakra from others in order to survive. It was like an invisible whirlpool or a tornado, if you were around its edges the pressure gently worked its purpose without anyone noticing, but when you got closer the suction became stronger and Kakashi figured that because he was now using a technique that used a lot of energy, the suction became even stronger. He was practically standing right next to the hungry tornado that wanted nothing more than to take all his energy from his body until nothing was left.

"Everyone stand back!" Kakashi yelled as the ominous chakra burst into action, darkening in color and oozing out from its host's body. As it started to drop on the floor it became visible for the other people in the room as well, making them gasp out in surprise. Only seconds after that, the heart monitor went crazy, signaling that Minato's heart had become wild and unsteady and Kakashi swore that he saw his sensei's face twist with pain.

"KAKASHI!" Tsunade yelled, her voice ordering him to stop whatever he was doing or they would lose the very person they were trying to save but Kakashi couldn't do anything. He couldn't close his eyes no matter how much he wanted nor could he turn away, all he could do was to stare at the chakra that was both oozing out from Minato's body but also radiating out like flames.

The movement of those flames was much slower than natural ones though, and they were growing faster also, but instead of swallowing Kakashi right away, the flames reached out toward the ceiling, turning it black as they finally touched it. Only after that did they start to expand into other directions as well, hovering over him and reaching out to touch him. He could feel fear reaching out for him as well and his instincts seemed to take over, forcing his only currently working ability to activate into its advanced form in order to fight this new enemy. As his left eye changed, revealing his hidden ability, the mangekyo sharingan took over the reality he knew and that he had started to question and Kakashi was pulled into darkness that reminded him of the old stories of the depths of the abyss.

Then he could hear nothing anymore, the room where he had been just now remaining just as a memory that confused him. Where was he?

He could see nothing, he could hear nothing and he could feel nothing. Yet he could say that he felt no more fear; something about this place seemed so calm, endless and immutable, like it was meant to exist even if it didn't make any sense. It was like his consciousness was there, parted from his body and thrown into a different awareness.

It was then that something seemed to change in this darkness that was not meant to do so and soon a figure appeared, slowly becoming more and more visible.

As the darkness stepped aside from the colors that started to appear into the figure's form, the letters that took place in that long white jacket with orange flames on its edges soon became clear enough to be easily read. The aura that surrounded the figure somehow looked soft to touch and even if the concept of time didn't seem to matter here it almost looked like the person seemed to be waiting for something or someone.

No words could be heard in the complete silence, even if there was so much to be told but then the figure shifted, almost like hearing them anyway and as blue eyes turned around a gentle smile appeared, bringing light into this darkness.

Strong emotions started to warm up the air that suddenly appeared to be slightly cold and lips could be seen moving, yet no sound came out. As the figure raised his hand toward the one who was watching, the darkness started to fade away and light poured in, bringing blurry imagines with it.

"Kakashi… Kakashi! KAKASHI!"

He was aware of the panicking voice next to him even in the state he was in and grunted quietly as a reply, feeling something soft under his head.

"Thank god… How are you feeling Kakashi?"

It took him a while but finally Kakashi was able to see and recognize Tsunade's face next to him, showing a deep concern for his wellbeing and she gently touched his forehead. A small smile appeared on her lips as she withdraw it and sighed, finally seeming to be able to relax but it only lasted for a short moment before her face became serious once more.

"It seems like your sharingan was able to do something that I wasn't anticipating. What exactly happened Kakashi? All I know is that something started to come out from Minato's body and reach toward you. It looked like his chakra had been liquefied but before I could take a sample it retreated and when I walked next to you I only had time to see a mangekyo sharingan being activated in your eye before you collapsed." Tsunade said as she looked at Kakashi and patiently waited for him to address her words.

He was really pale, part of his silver hair sticking to his face because of sweat and she could see that he was completely drained of all his energy as he had not yet moved. Only his half open eyes told her that he was conscious and listening, so she figured that whatever had happened had taken not just her by surprise, but also the experienced jounin. The whole thing that had happened lasted no more than a minute, but the consequences were even more serious than a week long S-class missions which the man took regularly.

Tsunade was now sure that whatever it was that had happened to the Fourth Hokage was a secret that wouldn't be easy to solve. Unless Kakashi had seen something, like a piece of information that could prove her hypothesis wrong.

"I saw him." Kakashi whispered, making everyone in the room focus on him more than they already were. One of the medical ninjas brought a cup of water for him but he just shook his head, not feeling like he could even hold the glass right now.

"Saw who Kakashi?" Tsunade asked keeping her voice low like she feared that there would be unwanted ears somewhere in the room and the intense look in her eyes left Kakashi once again no room for argument.

"Minato. He seemed to know I was there and I could feel he tried to say something; I saw his lips move." He quietly answered back, making the air in the room turn thick and full of tension as all eyes were tied on him. Tsunade knew fully well that Kakashi, like most of the ninjas around, would be able to read the words from lips alone and her heart seemed to miss one of its beats when he spoke again.

"He said that everything would be alright, he wouldn't let Kyuubi hurt anyone anymore…" Kakashi said and raised his hand to his face as he felt something wet roll down his left cheek but when he brought his hand in front of his eyes he saw trails of blood on his fingers instead of tears.

"He said he was proud of me and Naruto…" It was no more than a tiny whisper but the emotions that were there in his voice melted Tsunade's heart and as a single drop of pure salt water fell on the floor from Kakashi's right eye, she let her own tears fall also.

A brief moment before Kakashi was pulled into dreamless sleep his memory found a picture of Minato sitting next to him in a wooden park bench, smiling like an idiot and telling the younger ninja that his sensei was going to be a father soon.

…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprised? This is my story so Kakashi still has his sharingan eye, I think it looks good on him and he will be needing it later also ;)
> 
> But even though I am the Hokage story plot is mine, Naruto isn't and neither are the characters! This is pure fanfiction.


	6. Odd dreams and feelings

The sounds of hard wind and raindrops had taken over the cheerful sound of birds and the laughter of children playing outside. The cold moisture was unavoidable for those who did not have a roof over their head and the coldness in the air just made everything worse. It was a hard reminder of the fact that the warm summer would soon be over and days just like this would take over until even colder times would come.

The weather had darkened the air around Konoha, making the usually lively streets almost empty. Little rain didn't usually bother the villagers but it had already been raining for three days and today the weather was even worse; it was hardly noticeable that it was supposed to be the brightest time of the day since the heavy clouds let only little light through. It was rather depressing and being alone in a big house didn't help to chase this feeling away from the mind of a certain blond.

"I wish I could get a mission or something." Naruto whispered, watching how the small window of his kitchen formed a barrier between the comfortable warmth of his new home and the untamed nature that roamed outside; the wind blowing so hard that it was also probably cutting some branches by now. Iruka had warned him not to go outside today and he wasn't exactly tempted to either but he was bored out of his mind.

When it had first started to rain it was only a few clouds and occasional showers of rain, but the next day the clouds doubled and so did the amount of water pouring down. By the end of the third day the wind had started to blow and the streets turned into mud. Water had never been his favorite element but as Naruto turned his eyes to stare at the hot teacup in his hand he wondered if he should go and see if the old man would keep his shop open. He was hungry anyway and could use the company.

He could already smell the delicious aromas, so different from his usual microwave ramen and after taking one last sip from his tea he left his new dark wooden kitchen table behind him in order to get better clothes. He was not going to go out wearing his white pajama pants with green frogs printed all over and he doubted that his white t-shirt would be warm enough.

It took Naruto no more than a couple of minutes to go upstairs and find his favorite outfit to put on. He just couldn't help it that he still loved the now worn down black and orange jacket and pants, even if they didn't fit him as well as they used to anymore. Last week when he had gone out to buy some things for his new house, Sakura had pointed out that he really needed some new clothes. The comment had actually made him think about his appearance.

It had been a while since he had cut his hair so now it looked even wilder and messier than usual but it was only natural since he had grown a little taller too; not much but every inch counted for him. He had always been the scrawny one so he had been pleased to notice how his constant work at the construction site had given him more muscles than he had realized; that and the fact that he still did his daily sit ups and push ups among other things. A ninja's work was hard but in a different way and while working on the building he and his friends had come up with new ways to train themselves so the difference was noticeable. It had been fun too, something that they all did together.

A smile found its way on Naruto's lips as he walked downstairs, searching for his yellow and black striped umbrella.

He really should invite everyone to his place, now that he had a place big enough. He really didn't have the money to buy many things to offer since most of the money he had been able to save up went to getting few things in the house but luckily Sakura understood his situation. After buying a new bed, new planked, bed sheets and a few simple black and light brown carpets, Naruto was forced to slow things down since his pink haired friend had gotten a little too excited for the shopping. She really couldn't argue when he showed her his now empty wallet so they used the rest of the day then for just checking things out and planning before heading to eat.

To say that Naruto was surprised on the following days would have been major misunderstanding since he had been woken up early and almost gotten run over by Choji and his father who carried a dark brown sofa inside without even acknowledging him being there. Once they put it down in the biggest room Choji finally turned to the stunned blond and told him that the sofa was old but would work until he got a better one and all Naruto could really do was thank him and say that he would buy him lunch later.

He couldn't help but to wonder if one pink haired girl had said something to the food loving men who left almost as suddenly as they came.

The rest of the day had been pretty similar and soon came Kiba and Akamaru, carrying a red armchair and a basket full of cookies. Why the cookies were made with meat Naruto had no idea but the armchair soon found its place in the living room, next to the sofa. The way that Kiba whistled when he looked around made Naruto grin and decide to offer them something to drink, he liked the way that his house seemed to become a little more alive with his visitors.

The energetic duo didn't even have time to leave when Rock Lee entered, shouting loudly once again and hugging Naruto tightly as he cried tears of happiness for him. Honestly, compared to Rock Lee, Naruto felt like he and Kiba were just a couple of shy school boys trying to protect their lunch money from the bullies. After all these years the fuzzy brow never stopped to amaze him and Naruto could only smile nervously as the other kept speaking about his happiness for him. Then Naruto noticed that Lee had brought something with him, something big and thin and what turned out for his horror to be a painting of Rock lee and Guy posing in front of a sunset in nothing but white towels on their hips. He didn't even dare to ask why the man had something like this or even more, who was the brave painter who had been forced to capture their "youth".

"It's my treasure but I want you to have it Naruto-kun! It's the best reminder of youth and strength one can have!" Rock Lee shouted as he hugged his blond friend whose left eye was twitching as he stared at the painting and before Naruto could find his voice again he realized that everyone had left already, leaving him alone with the painting that was half the size of the real people it represented. Now the painting was hidden in his upstairs for the time being but he knew he had to put it somewhere or he would hurt his friend's feelings.

After that it took two hours until his doorbell rang again and he welcomed Tenten, Hinata and Shino inside. With a whistle Tented handed a round red paper lamp to Naruto and ran off to explore, ignoring Hinata's calling. The shier one of the girls apologized but when Naruto said that he didn't mind, he could understand his friend's curiosity, with a smile Hinata said that they weren't sure what to bring for the house so she figured something like curtains would always be useful. It took them no more than ten minutes to hang the white ones in his living room, light brown ones in his bedroom and lavender colored ones in his kitchen. It was amazing what some pieces of fabric could do to the place but the space still felt empty somehow, so Naruto decided to do some painting when he got the chance.

When the three were about to leave, Ino and Shikamaru appeared, carrying a rather nice dark wooden kitchen table with two mix matching chairs and it was no surprise that a few complaints were being heard about the way over here being troublesome and long. No matter how much time would pass, Shikamaru never seemed to change.

It felt nice to know that his friends cared and supported him and the smile on Naruto's face told everyone just how grateful he was for everything and after he was once again alone in the house and looked around the place, it felt a little more like a home. There was still a lot of space that was screaming to be filled, at least in his eyes since he was so used to living in small rooms that could only hold the most important furniture.

The last ones to come to visit him that day were Iruka sensei and Sakura. Iruka's gift for him didn't really surprise the blond but it was one he was probably most enthusiastic about since it was a brand new rice cooker and a bag full of food supplies which included some of his favorite instant ramen.

"You have a proper kitchen now Naruto, learn to use it also." Iruka had said as he put the stuff in the white kitchen cabinets and then turned to Sakura who was holding a brown box in her hands.

"These are what me and my parents wanted to give to you. I know they are not a set but I still think they are pretty." She said and started to unpack. Inside the box had been eight mix matching teacups and their plates and also some basic cutlery like different sized spoons and forks and knives. Too many for one person but when Sakura told Naruto that they wanted him to have enough for guests the blond could only grin with excitement and thank them both.

A smile formed on Naruto's lips as he remembered that day and he opened the door, stepping out in the world of rain and wind and quickly opened his umbrella for shelter.

Very soon it became obvious that the umbrella helped his upper body to stay dry but left his legs under the mercy of the weather and by the time he was halfway to Ichiraku's his shoes were soaked and dirty from the mud. From time to time he had to grab the handle of the umbrella with much greater force when a blast of wind caught him off guard, making him curse and hasten his steps.

The lights that shined through the windows mixed with the street lights and made the water sparkle, making it easier to avoid the biggest and deepest water ponds that had been created in the streets. Even if it was chilly outside a trained ninja could sense warmth radiating from the houses where most of the people took this opportunity to spend time with their loved ones. It was not physical warmth that one could feel in their skin but the kind of warmth that took place in hearts and that many times was the reason for a small hidden smile that told more than any words could if the person seeing it had a talent to see beneath the surface.

For now that smile was not seen by anyone as a pair of blue eyes flashed under the umbrella every time a shadow could be seen in the nearby windows or when laughter or shouting reached his sharp ears over the rain and wind. He remembered times like this happening before, moments that he knew he would never truly forget but he refused to let his mind go to; the dark weight inside his chest was something he had come to hate over the years and also accept. He wanted to leave the past in the past and that was exactly why his legs had carried him to that one place where he knew he could experience the small joys of life with someone.

"Yo Naruto! Good to see you!"

"Good to see you too old man!" Naruto laughed as he stepped inside the small space that right now felt more home to him than the still half empty place that awaited him when his body would demand the rest it had been lacking for some while now.

"I am glad that at least one of my regulars had the spirit to come today! You warm my heart Naruto!"

For that the blond found his mood instantly becoming brighter and he offered his widest smile to the other as he sat down. If only the much older man knew how much he had already warmed his mind and soul and next to the list was his body as he suddenly realized just how wet he was from the rain. Now was not a good time to get cold but before Naruto could even open his mouth to say his order the steaming hot cup was presented in front of him.

"The usual I assume? Eat up before it gets cold!" The old man said to the blond and with a snap of a pair of wooden chopsticks and quick "Itadakimasu" the steaming hot pieces of meat and noodles were devoured with eagerness. After a few mouthfuls there came a small stop as the one who had been happily enjoying his delicious meal realized that there were a pair of eyes watching him in a different way than usual.

There was something in the air that Naruto couldn't really point out but it was something that made him a little nervous.

"What? What is it old man? Something wrong?" Naruto asked after he gulped down his food for the time being and raised his eyes slightly upward but was surprised to see a hint of worry looking back at him.

"I was just wondering if I should ask the same from you Naruto." The answer came in a little more quicker than he had anticipated and Naruto could only blink before his brain registered the words fully.

"What are you talking about?"

"I am talking about those dark circles under your eyes Naruto. Have you been sleeping badly lately?" The old man asked and started to clean the table surface in order to avoid the tension that was quickly building up inside his restaurant.

Unconsciously Naruto raised his other hand that wasn't holding the chopstick to touch the area near his eyes and then lowered his gaze in the slowly dancing steam on his bowl and wondered his response for a moment.

Did he seriously look that bad?

"Something like that I guess." The truth was that Naruto had wanted to talk to someone about his past days, or more accurately his nights, and something that had been constantly playing over his mind and making him even more restless than he usually was.

The silence that fell in the small restaurant felt odd and really uncomfortable for Naruto as he knew that the other was waiting for him to decide if he wished to continue this conversation or not. The problem was not that he was unwilling to share the small information about his life to the other but the amount of information it was safe to give.

"It's nothing serious really, just some weird dreams that I have been having." The blond finally said and tried to offer a soothing smile for the older man but it didn't seem to do its magic this time, actually quite the opposite as there was a small frown that greeted him silently now.

"Weird dreams eh?"

A nod was given as a reply and Naruto took a mouthful of the food still in front of him when he realized that it was about to lose some of it's comforting heat. After flushing it down with a glass of water the short silence was interrupted by a voice that tried it's best to hide the emotions its owner was holding.

"Are you sure you don't mean nightmares boy?"

When no answer came and the food remained untouched for a few moments that felt longer than they really should have, a sigh was heard.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to Naruto, I just want to give you the option. You look like you have hardly slept at all for a while now."

All it took was one deep breath and a small moment for the tired eyes to focus at the glass he was still holding until his mind started to drift into the memories of his dreams in order for his mouth to find the right words. The older man in front of him needed to see just a glimpse of Naruto's face to understand that silence was now more than needed to show the boy that his attention was focused on him for the time being.

"The first time I had the dream was almost a week ago. I didn't think much about it back then because it didn't make any sense, it still doesn't but back then it wasn't so emotional, so full of feelings… Every night it seems to change in some way and something new happens but every time it starts the same way." As Naruto spoke he decided to put the glass he had been holding back down on the table and took a quick glance at the one he was currently having a one sided conversation with and when he saw no signs that the other wished to interrupt his speaking the younger male continued.

"It's dark, nighttime and I hear talking and laughing all around me but I don't hear what they are exactly saying. I don't see my surroundings very clearly but I know I am in some kind of big village and there are people walking all around me. I can see the dark figures and the lines of the houses and some really tall buildings that look nothing like the ones I have seen before. From the angle of the buildings and houses I know that they are built on a hill and there is a river on the bottom of it and on the other side of it is a smaller hill where the houses and buildings continue to exist. It's hard to say just how big the whole place is but I think it's bigger than our village; the lights that are hanging from the sides of the houses look like the whole place is being illuminated by thousands of fireflies. It's kinda beautiful." Naruto said and smiled for a moment before it died away just the way it had appeared.

"But then the serenity is all gone in a blink of the eye and before I know it the laughing is replaced with screams and sounds of explosions. There are big flashes of lights everywhere and there is pure terror in those screams, people are dying… The despair is so painful that it's hard to breathe, the screams and explosions are so loud that every time I am sure I will soon turn deaf. Then without warning everything turns black and quiet until the black is mixed with dark red flames and a loud screeching sound that reminds me of the painful cry of some kind of big bird. The voice gets louder and louder and also clearer all the way until it finally cracks and disappears. It makes my chest hurt every time."

"What do you think it means?"

The question made Naruto pull out from his memories and seek eye contact, just to blink twice and tilt his head an inch or two to the side as he wondered if there was something he was missing.

"What do you mean old man?"

"What I mean is that sometimes dreams hide a secret meaning in them, they are made from the depths of our mind, subconsciously I mean." The older man said as he took a washcloth and started to clean some of the glasses he had waiting behind the counter. Over the years Naruto had noticed that it was a way for the other man to think better and still stay focused on his customers.

The thought of his dreams being the creation of his own mind was not a new thing itself but it was something that Naruto hadn't really considered. If that was the case then it made even less sense.

As he was about to open his mouth a sound that they hadn't heard for all summer made its way to Naruto's ears and he turned around the watch the entrance of the small restaurant but the curtains covered the flashes of light that he knew were now roaming in the sky.

"It seems like the lighting finally started. They said it would travel over our city today." The older man said as he also tried to see the light but then returned to his task at cleaning everything up. Suddenly Naruto remembered the reason why Iruka had suggested to him to stay home today.

At that moment Naruto really wished that the brown haired teacher would have been here to listen to him and maybe he could have even told the rest of his dreams to him in private; tell him the real reason he was losing the proper sleep he needed.

If his dreams were supposed to mean something, then why didn't he see the signs he himself could understand? The dreams had become a puzzle, a puzzle that he didn't seem to be able to put together. He could sense that something vital was missing.

Those thoughts of his were interrupted and forgotten when a loud crash of lightning was heard with the monstrous thunder that followed that seemed to have the power to shake the building.

"That was a big one, I hope it didn't hit anything."

"Yeah." Naruto whispered, suddenly feeling the air change. It became heavier, making his senses sharpen up and for a moment Naruto wondered if someone was about to attack him.

He let his blue eyes scan the surroundings, looking for anything unusual but when he saw nothing he let his shoulders sink just a little. He hadn't even noticed when he had become stiff and ready to launch himself off the wooden chair he was sitting in.

"By the way old man, where is Ayame?" Naruto asked, trying his best to sound normal and he let his eyes soften and lose the sharp edge they had shown just a few seconds ago. The feeling was still there, like someone was watching him, but if there really was someone he or she had hidden himself or herself completely. He would have to play a little time and then leave, he didn't want to alarm or worry the old man if he was simply imagining things in his tired state.

"Oh she stayed home today. Poor thing caught a cold yesterday when she went shopping. You have to take good care of yourself too Naruto and change your dry clothes when you get home. I don't want to answer to Iruka about you getting sick when visiting here." The old man said and Naruto knew that he meant his still uncomfortable wet pants and shoes. The food had helped to ease the chills but over the years Naruto had also learned not to play with the little things. The weather was not warm anymore.

All he could give the other man was a heartwarming grin and the money for the food before he decided that it was his chance to leave.

"Thanks for the food old man, it was delicious like always!" He said as cheerfully as he could but those who knew him could hear a twist there that was meant to give a sign that something was off. A goodbye was said but as the blond stepped outside into the rain a pair of serious eyes looked the bowl that was left behind and the remains of the dinner. Naruto never left a single noodle after him, unless something was seriously wrong.

"I hope you are safe." The old man whispered as he took the bowl and glass, washing them and listening as the rain fell heavily and mixed with the sound of thunder.

It took no more than a few seconds when another loud bang was heard, similar to the ones in Naruto's dreams and still very different but this time instead of screams and shouts the lights dying out everywhere was the only outcome that seemed to take place.

"Wait a little Naruto, I will try to find a candle. It seems that this time it took out the main power source."

For one short moment as Naruto stood outside of his favorite restaurant, under his umbrella and looked at the flashes of lights in the dark sky he found himself remembering the electric blue color of the technique known as One Thousand Birds, the Chidori, and the people he knew that could use it.

"I wonder if Kakashi has a mission somewhere." He whispered as he started to slowly walk toward his home.

He had been right, the feeling only grew stronger once he had set his foot outside; now out in the open it felt like thousands of small bugs were crawling on his skin, exploring him as if he would soon turn into a hot bowl of ramen himself. It made him faintly touch the handle of one of his kunai inside his pocket.

When the feeling sent no signs of going away as he walked, counting the steps he had taken and waiting for something to happen, he stopped worrying about the small ponds of mud, stepping into each one of them without hesitation and this way hoping to signal to the one whose eyes never seemed to leave his back that he knew he was being followed.

It was no secret that Naruto had been in many battles, on the contrary, and over the years he and every one of his friends had become used to the fact that their lives could end at any minute, no matter where they were. It was good to always keep that thought in mind and for a ninja there were a few sentences that they had heard more in their lifetime than many others and one of them was "Never let your guard down."

There was a another splash as Naruto stepped into one of the more deeper puddles in the street, not showing his irritation on his face but if one would have seen his eyes they would have known immediately. He was starting to get really annoyed. He was actually on the verge of stopping in his tracks and shouting out for his follower to finally come forward when the air around him suddenly changed.

It was like the weight that had been put to hang on his shoulders was suddenly lifted and the rain that had felt cold earlier now felt almost warm. It was like the ominous intent that he had felt at Ichiraku ramen had disappeared. No, it was more like it was replaced by something completely different.

Naruto knew that he was alone in the dark street so why was he feeling like something warm was trying to desperately reach him?

As he turned around, wanting to finally find out if someone was truly following him or not, he had just enough time to see a monstrous lighting hit straight into the Hokage mansion from above.

It sent such a powerful light that it hurt his eyes but he couldn't bring himself to close them. All he could do was stare is shock and when the light started to die down a strong wind blew the still sizzling air to meet his frozen body, finally making his brain register the sight that had just taken place and his eyes widen and his umbrella dropped onto the ground. He could hear nothing as his feet were already taking him toward the mansion that had gone dark and lost half of its roof.

He had no time to think, to stop and realize that this was not a natural storm that had taken over their village.

...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it.


	7. Hunger and Flames

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please enjoy!

This was not what Tsunade had anticipated, what she had calculated in every possible outcome she could have thought of.

What had gone wrong?

The words she heard herself shout among all the other people hurrying in every direction inside the building seemed to come out without thinking, she could feel the weight of the last days making her voice hoarse but powerful nevertheless. Right now she needed that power more than she cared to admit, she needed her medical team and her subordinates to act on their own as she tried to keep her head together and ignore the physical pain she felt. She had screwed up this time.

The darkness made it hard to see who she was shouting at, at the moment but frankly she didn't care, they needed to get things under control and fast. She was going to make sure that everyone else got to safety, no matter what the cost.

"Put the fire down and gather the injured ones together. Lead them outside! Hurry up! Get everyone out of here!" She screamed the last sentence as loudly as she could just when an explosion could be heard behind her. She almost didn't dare to look but did so anyway, someone could still be in the room, someone other than her and HIM.

She could hear the cracking sound as the walls and the roof seemed to be ready to crumble and she knew she also needed to get out of there and fast. She could almost hear Shizune's voice shouting at her even if she had sent her to lead everyone out of here. It was just that the sight in front of her was something she had worked so hard to achieve, they all had, and she had practically thrown away her responsibilities as Hokage for the last days as well as the concern of her own heath; barely sleeping and eating and now she found herself wondering if she should have listened to Shizune after all. She should really follow her own advice that she always tells her patients, and also probably sometimes listen to her friend; she knew him better than anyone else after all.

"I wonder…Can you even hear me? Are you even truly there? Or did I risk everything for nothing…" She whispered as she stared at the figure inside those dark red flames that had seemed to devour everything inside the room, dancing over the equipment gracefully. It reminded her of the fire she and her teammates had sometimes made in their long and cold missions.

But this fire was not a natural one, like they had many times already pointed out to each other during tests and in that split second when she had had time to analyze the situation before she had been forced to take action. Tsunade had wondered what Jiraiya would have thought of this whole situation. Would he have agreed with everything, her theories and those tests she had been forced to perform or would he have called her crazy for even trying. Somehow she couldn't believe the latter. He would have probably cried his eyes out and told her to do all that she could to solve what had happened to the man they had all loved. That was what she wanted to believe, just like she wanted to believe that Minato was still hovering over the edge of death.

After that moment, when most of the panic had subsided and everyone had been forced to seek shelter, Tsunade had been stunned to realize that the heat that radiated from those sinister flames was surprisingly not scalding hot anymore, but warm like the midnight sun, almost gentle. The flames had also seemed to come to a stop for the moment, not spearing anymore but not backing up either.

"Minato! If you are there and you hear me, open your eyes and wake up!" Tsunade suddenly found herself screaming, not caring anymore if someone heard her since everyone was probably evacuated outside at this point. She hoped that the rain that was still falling would ease the pain they would be feeling if the flames had managed to touch them.

She wasn't really sure why she thought that she could reach him and wake him up from his deep slumber-like state, but if her tests had proven anything, it was the fact that even if this would turn out to not be their beloved late Hokage. This thing had consciousness.

 

…

Flashback  
...

 

"Result for Kakashi's condition came over Tsunade-sama. It seems that he is stable but suffers from severe chakra loss and overuse of his sharingan." Shizune's voice spoke immediately after the door to the Hokage's own office had opened and as she walked to the desk she handed the papers into the waiting hand that took it rather forcefully, brown eyes looking over the text that it held.

"That doesn't make any sense. The interaction didn't even last 5 minutes and it left Kakashi in this state?" She asked, not raising her eyes from the paper in her hands but Shizune still nodded, knowing that Tsunade could see her in the corner of her eye.

"Yes, it seemed to also strain his body in some way and overall his state now is not much different from those times when he came back from S-ranked missions as an ANBU. I made sure that he is sleeping properly for now."

That made even less sense and Shizune could see Tsunade's eyes narrow just before she finally put the paper down on his desk.

"How about Minato? Did his state change somehow?

"Yes."

At that simple word Tsunade's eyes widened and quickly locked onto her friend and assistant, staring at her calm face with a silent command to spill out every little piece of information she was holding.

"He is still not responding to anything, but his heartbeat, blood pressure, and his health in general seem to have improved; he is still labeled under being in critical condition but now we do not need to constantly worry whether his heart will fail again." Shizune said and Tsunade listened quietly and carefully, letting her brain process this new information and also the seriousness that the other still seemed to hold.

"I see. What else?"

"For an unknown reason he seems to have also regained some of his body mass lady Tsunade."

"What!?"Tsunade shouted, raising up from her seat and leaning over her desk, sending a few papers flying and falling on the ground in the process. Suddenly she understood perfectly why Shizune looked so serious, her gesture tense and TonTon standing beside her instead of her holding the pig in her arms.

The few seconds that followed held a heavy silence mixed in the air as the two women stared at each other, both of them sending silent questions to each other. Both of them held enough information about medical records and the astonishing ways of the world of ninja and their many skills, yet the confusion could be seen on their faces clearly.

"I need to see him myself." It was a sentence that left nothing to argue about, a tone that spoke volumes about Tsunade's thoughts of the situation and as the two women quickly exited the office a dark frown made its way to her face.

What they had gained from Kakashi's visit seemed to be even more valuable than she had first thought but it also gave them a reason to have come to the conclusion that this was something their knowledge didn't seem to grasp. It was something that even with all the books of medical history they couldn't seem to fully explain. Minato was a mystery, for now.

First they had thought that it would be some kind of ninjutsu, connected to the Chakra Absorption Technique that Tsunade had managed to find in one of her books, but that technique usually needed physical contact and in Minato's case that important criterion didn't become filled. It had been more like his mere presence had sucked the chakra out of everyone and now they needed to know more because if that was the case Tsunade wondered if it was safe to keep the man in the village at all. The fact that Minato was fully unconscious while everything had happened was even more disturbing.

Tsunade was so deep in thought that she hardly noticed people quickly packing up as she stormed forward, making her way into the examination room. She paid no mind to the nervous faces or the calling of her name when someone tried to get her attention. She had far more important things to do now than fill out some paperwork.

"Shizune, inform the council that I will not attend any meetings that might occur, unless it is absolutely necessary. Unless there is a new war starting I am not interested. They can solve the mystery of the missing supply of carrots by themselves." Tsunade told Shizune who nodded and hurried to leave just when they reached their destination. For a moment Tsunade wondered to herself if she should name the research room again, maybe Room of Misery, but decided otherwise. Room of Misery sounded more like it suited their operation room anyway.

A small smile appeared to her soft lips when she realized how tired she must have been to think such silly things and reached her hand to open the door, noticing the sign put on it, "Don't enter" it said and she mentally cursed her medical team members. Didn't they realize that putting a sign like that would raise some questions later? She didn't deny the need of privacy and precaution but who honestly thought a mere sign could do any good in a village filled with curious and highly qualified ninja warriors? Fools.

Something else caught her attention though, her sharp hearing picking up sounds of quiet but quick steps and low voices that she knew were mostly spoken with patients of distress. It was enough to alarm her and briefly consider the measures of actions she could be forced to take, preparing herself by hardening her shell of unwanted emotions.

The door flew open with a loud bang, startling the four medical ninja that were currently in the room, two seemingly discussing results they had gotten for various test that had been run by now and two others who had been doing god knows what. Sometimes Tsunade questioned her ability to select the members of her team, especially in times like this when she could feel their anxiety when she arrived without warning.

"What is his situation?" Her voice was louder than normal, making sure that she had their full attention. She closed the door behind her before she let her eyes briefly take over the room and the amazing set of equipment it held.

"Have you managed to take a blood sample yet?" With that question she could see all of them lower their head, a clear sign of shame and something else but when one of the younger ninja unconsciously touched her hand Tsunade closed the space between them before she had time to react.

She wasted no time at quickly pulling up the younger woman's long white sleeve and what Tsunade saw made her bite her teeth hard together in her mouth. For a few precious seconds while the younger medical ninja forgot to even breathe, Tsunade stared at the red burn marks that were visible under her white gloves.

"Let me see." Tsunade tried to keep her voice firm but gentle at the same time as she noticed the fatigue in the much younger woman's face and the dark circles around her eyes that stood out now much more than they should have. Tsunade instantly recognized her as being the newest addition to her team. She was actually a disciple that Gaara had sent here a few months ago, asking for Tsunade to train her a little about herbs and other things that their knowledge lacked. If anyone else would have asked the same, Tsuande would have refused immediately, without any hesitation, but she couldn't bring herself to deny the one of the few simple favors that the Kazekage had asked during these years. He had helped them so much that something like this didn't seem like a thing she could refuse this time, especially when Gaara had explained the reasons with his letter. Apparently a few members of their own medical team in Suna had gone missing, along with some other ninja and it worried both leaders. She really hoped that they wouldn't become missing nin.

Tsunade forced herself to pull back to this moment, forgetting about everything else other than the woman in front of her and she realized that she had never seen her so pale as she stared at the leader of Konohagakure, trembling just so slightly.

Without waiting for the woman, or more like a girl in Tsunade's eyes, to get a hold of herself and get rid of the shock of surprise, Tsunade took the glove off and her eyes widened at the sight.

Her whole hand, from the tips of her fingers to halfway to her elbow was covered in blisters that had to be painful, her skin was red and looking raw, like it had been peeled off. Tsunade did not question the hiss of pain she heard when she let one of her fingers just caress her palm, using her own chakra to estimate the amount of the damage that had been done.

"You shouldn't be working. And you should have come to me straight away. Why wasn't I informed!?" So much for trying to be gentle.

"I-I am s-s-sorry Hokage-sama..." She stuttered, clearly scared and in pain at the same time and when Tsunade saw tears appearing in her eyes, she realized that the grip from her arm was stronger than she had meant to make it. She quickly let her go and the girl pulled her injured arm toward her chest without any delay but made sure not to let the abused skin touch the fabric of her white uniform.

"I-It happened when I tried to take that b-blood sample... We thought we could do it this time. His chakra was still calm when I took the needle and walked over to him but when I was about to press it into his arm..." A quiet sob escaped her lips before she could stop it and her cheeks turned red from embarrassment.

"The f-flames appeared out of nowhere and unlike the times when we put an IV-drip on him they were now burning hot instead of being warm. I-it happened so fast... I pulled my hand away immediately but it seems that I wasn't fast enough. The heat destroyed the needle." She continued, trying to calm herself but Tsunade could hear the pain in her voice, no matter how hard she tried to hide it, just like she saw the shivers that ran through her body.

"I see. When did this happen?"

"Less than h-half an hour ago." She admitted quietly and Tsunade's eyes narrowed but still made a gesture for her to sit down. She turned her back to her and made her way to the cabinet where she kept most of her ingredients.

"Have you written your report about this?" Tsunade asked, her voice clean from any emotions as she focused to read the labels and mix the powders and liquids together. She wanted nothing more than to shout out loud how stupid it had been to not inform her right away. Did she not realize that she was under her charge and that the wound that she had now gotten was not something that needed special treatment?

"Y-yes."

"Good. Now then, go to your room and rest. Put this salve on your hand two times a day and if you can, bandage it afterward so that the medicine can slowly be absorbed into your tomorrow off too and a few days after that if the pain doesn't subside. Come see me first thing in the morning and also every time the pain becomes more severe." Tsunade said and after a moment she finally turned and gave a small glass can to the girl who took it with a silent 'thank you'. For a reason that the Hokage already knew, the girl seemed to be hesitating, opening her mouth slightly and then trying once again, to clearly calm herself down before she could speak out loud what was on her mind, to inform her of what she had not yet said out loud.

"Tsunade -sama..."

"I already know." The words were strict but as gentle as she managed to let her voice become as Tsunade placed her hand on the girl's shoulder as she raised her eyes to look at her.

"I could feel it when I touched your hand with my chakra. I know why your colleagues couldn't heal it for you. Even if the flames have died out they seem to have left something behind that will re-activate them when chakra is added to the damage. I suggest that you avoid using your chakra for the time being, don't use it even the slightest bit and don't let anyone else use their chakra around you as well." Tsunade said and her eyes softened a little as she watched those black eyes stare helplessly at her. It made her chest ache, if just a little bit, when she thought about what she couldn't say to the girl yet.

Tsunade wondered if the pride had made her stop her team members to rush out to find their leader when they noticed that the normal healing method only caused more damage. If that was the case, Tsunade would need to have a long talk with her later but she had to admit that the pain tolerance that the young shinobi seemed to hold was impressing. For this case it might only make things worse though. She decided to go and get a small brown bag filled with pills she knew she didn't need to explain to her.

"Remember what I have told you, now go and try to sleep. Take one pill before that though, it will take most of the pain away, hopefully."

There was a short nod and Tsunade said no more as she let her leave the room. She decided to go and check on her later.

"Can I have the papers from the attempt to take the blood sample?" Tsunade asked, even if it was far from a question. The papers touched her fingers and her eyes took in every word, once again.

No one dared to speak, the three remaining medical ninjas standing still like statues and waiting for the explosion they knew that they would get at some point but as the silence stretched on they exchanged nervous glances with each other. They were not used to this kind of calmness from their leader, and honestly, it scared them far more than her shouting usually did.

Finally the silence was broken but not by words, but by Tsunade's shoes that echoed in the room as she walked to stand next to the man that seemed to be the only thing she could think about at the moment.

She watched him without showing any emotions on her face but she wasn't able to keep them from showing in her eyes that studied and judged every fiber and cell that laid in front of he .There were millions of things rushing through her head, questions mixed with memories and the choking feeling of her chest seemed to be raising toward the surface and only getting worse by every passing moment.

Had Minato ever felt like this? Probably, but even so he had been, and she still hoped he would still be, a man that held just as much wisdom in him as he did hold power and heartwarming grace that only he seemed to possess. To this day Tsunade thought that no one could compare to the man, even if his offspring had shown signs of their shared blood. A great part of her had decided to try everything she could to help this man, one reason being because she wanted to see if a miracle could be done. Could the bond between a father and son be awakened and transformed into something that the child that had been left to survive alone for most of his early life, could now finally learn to cherish and also learn to experience the love of a parent.

The thought did not ease the pain in her chest, on the contrary, but in that moment her mind seemed to be able to put two missing pieces back together in this chaos. When it hit her, it was like a rock that was thrown into calm water in order to create a splash and waves. Suddenly it seemed so clear that she had to hit herself on the forehead and cover her face with her hand to hide her anger and embarrassment.

They had been so careful to use minimal physical contact and so far the only time they had reached toward him with a needle was when they put the IV-drip bag in his arm that was soaked in chakra. Taking a blood sample was different. That was why those flames didn't react earlier but did this time. This time they were not giving him anything but they were trying to TAKE something from him, something he still desperately needed.

That strange chakra that had taken over Minato's body was protecting its host.

...

End of flashback  
...

 

Never would she have thought that lightning would hit the building, filling it with energy that Minato's body was more than ready to absorb.

They had meant to give him just a little, to see the reaction and study it. She had calculated that she could keep things under control if there wouldn't be more chakra than the tiny amount they offered for the flames to eat, more power to devour and use as its fuel.

As the thunder had begun to roar and the light had died out, darkness taking over the building, it had given the flames a background that made then stand out even more.

In the complete darkness the flames started to grow and spread, glowing in a way that no natural flames ever could. It was beautiful and in the split second that Tsunade had used her precious time to stare at them she felt her whole body become alive in a way she had never experienced before, feeling the heat of pure energy reach up toward them.

Only two days ago they had learned to keep their distance, acknowledging the danger they constantly were in since they did not know if there were other things that could trigger the flames into action. By that time Tsunade had made specific orders of who could come into the room and at what time. She did not want anything like what happened to the girl from Suna to happen to anyone else.

Yesterday Tsunade had tested how far they would need to be in order for their chakra not to be slowly absorbed. Today she had meant to test just how much chakra the flames needed to be activated. Only if she would have known that those flames wouldn't eat just chakra. It almost seemed like they could turn every possible powersource into their next meal and it only confirmed the hunch that Tsunade had had all this time. Whatever it was that was inside Minato's body, it was hungry as hell.

As she now watched those same flames, judging them as well as she could, she wondered why it was that they had seemed to come to an almost stopping point. She knew that her own chakra was now low, the flames had touched her arm and leg when she had been forced to use her chakra as a bait for the flames in order to get a few precious seconds for the others to escape. She also knew that she still had enough chakra left so that she could get out of here but she also knew that her supporters wouldn't if she hadn't interfered at the same second the flames had burst forward.

The heat she had been forced to breathe still hurt her throat and lungs, making her painfully aware of each inhale and exhale she took. The pain in her right leg and left arm wasn't helping either and the fact that it hurt this much only meant that her chakra was still absorbed from her, probably worsening the burns in the process like they did for the unfortunate girl.

She knew she needed to get out of this room as this was a battle where her immense amount of chakra could actually be her downfall but she also feared that the minute she would move away from the door, the flames would go berserk as they would search for their next pray. The thought of these flames owning an ability to think still felt bizarre to her. Nevertheless, a prey, she thought, and a small dry laugh came from the bottom of her abused throat. That was exactly what she was now, a cornered prey in front of a predator and she was going to change that.

There was no chance for her to get close to Minato's body; by now the whole room was nothing more than one solid inferno, one solid but calm inferno.

As Tsunade realized this her eyes widened and she decided to take a risk, stepping one step closer and ready to run for her life, but as the flames made no reaction she took a deep breath, trying not to let her emotions get the best of her. She tried to focus on the center of the flames where she knew the source of them still was. It made her eyes hurt but as she focused just a tiny amount of her chakra into her eyes, just so little that the flames didn't react to it, she saw him.

"Minato?" Her voice came out hoarse and quiet, almost desperate.

There, surrounded by all those flames, now stood a figure, unmoving and more distant than it seemed to be possible given the space they had around them, but standing nevertheless. It made Tsunade's chest hurt, but in a different way than the heat and flames could.

She tried to talk again but found no words coming out from her lips and she wished that she could see him better, see that bright and kind smile that everyone in their village around that time had come to love. A smile that his son had inherited.

"Tsunade no baa-chan!" A voice echoing down from the corridor made her heart skip a beat and her skin turn cold; for a moment she even forgot all of her pain, turning around just in time to shout in the hall with the most fierce voice she could manage before the flames reached her body and passed it.

"NARUTO! RUN!"

...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will be up shortly.


	8. Awakening

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, it's time for new chapter! I hope you enjoy!

Dark and heavy clouds were moving over Konohakagure, rain giving only little help for the pressure that the air was holding. Even if it was daytime there was not even a glimpse of the sun, it was like it had gone hiding and let the other members of nature's family take over for a while.

It was almost like the storm was trying its best to take everything out from its time, proving its own power.

From the moment Naruto had seen the lightning strike the Hokage mansion and had started running toward it, he could feel something that felt both familiar and strange. Something that made him keep moving with full speed when more lighting started to hit the ground, trees, and building around his destination.

Of course he felt worried for the villagers' safety but as long as he saw no smoke or fire he wanted to believe that the lighting hadn't damaged anything else. There was also the fact that he was not the only one capable of helping others in the time of need.

Just like earlier he didn't pay any mind of the muddy ponds or the fact that it was still raining heavily, but because of a different reason this time. He was pretty sure that being this wet under the flashing sky was not the safest decision but the umbrella he left behind would have only been in the way and let's face it, he had been in much more dangerous situations.

He still decided to avoid jumping on the rooftops, the slippery surfaces held a chance of lightning hitting him and falling, even if running like this on the streets had its downsides as well. He only wished that he could get there in time.

Naruto knew that he had the right to worry for the sake of his friends, it was not a foreign feeling but the thought of something bad happening to them was always unpleasant. It struck fear in his heart stronger than the lightning probably ever could and also awakened something deep inside of him. It was a feeling strong enough to make the Kyuubi turn to him and speak.

"What are you doing you fool?" The fox growled, sounding slightly irritated, and turned its head toward Naruto's inner self as he appeared in front of it. Sometimes, it still amazed Naruto how easily he could access the Kyuubi's prison inside of him nowadays as there was no real need for him to concentrate or even stop his running, which was good in situations like this.

"What does it look like? I am going to help my friends." Naruto answered, not understanding the need for a conversation. He was in a hurry after all and was not sure if the presence he had felt earlier would still be around and notice the slight change in his concentration.

"Always so keen to run to them, boy. This time though it would be better if you keep your distance. The lightning already did its job, it's already happened."

"Job? Happened? What the hell you are talking about? Wait... Did someone do this?" Naruto asked quickly, paying no mind to the fact that his voice rose slightly as he spoke and stared at his constant companion who raised its head a little higher, its red eyes flashing with amusement.

"You could say that."

"Who!? Is someone attacking Konoha again? Answer me, Kurama!"

"You humans... Always demanding answers even if it's right in front of you. So pathetic." Kurama said, almost snickering, showing its teeth in a way that reminded Naruto of a small smirk or grin. The response only made Naruto's frustration and annoyance grow, but before he could say anything the fox continued, turning its head slightly sideways now.

"But then again in your case it's not surprising. You wouldn't even know what to look for."

"What the hell? What are you talking about, Kurama? I have no time for this, my friends could be in danger and I need to go and help them."

"It would be better if you didn't boy, you are not ready yet." The fox replied him and his confusion almost made him to slow down his running in the real world.

"I repeat, what the hell you are talking about Kurama?" Naruto snapped, raising his voice so that it was now nearly high enough to be called shouting and it also held seriousness as his patience was becoming dangerously thin. Why so, he didn't know.

There was a silence as the fox seemed to think, absentmindedly moving its tails inside Naruto and it almost made the blond lose his cool before it opened its mouth again.

"He is still unstable and there is a change he won't recognize you in time. I can help you with that, make it so that you have a fair chance. It's going to hurt like hell later though." The fox more than grunted, clearly unhappy about the future that would be coming and that only made Naruto even more confused, if that was even possible anymore.

"Whatever it is, you bastard, just do it. We don't have time to argue."

"That's damn right, we don't. Just make sure you don't screw this up brat."

Kurama had hardly finished his sentence when Naruto felt and saw the fox's powerful chakra mixing with his own and even coming as far as out from his body, surrounding him with its orange glow.

Even if they were on better terms now, after the war with Madara and everything, it still felt weird when the fox would offer it's chakra like this, especially now since Naruto had no idea what for. It had almost sounded like Kurama wanted to protect him from something, buy time for him so that he could do something special.

"What the hell is happening?" Naruto whispered just when he arrived at his destination, slowing down when he realized that there were people standing under the rain and thunder. He could see confusion in some of them, the others looked worried and some were hurt.

"Shizune!" Naruto called out, he could spot the familiar face among the others and was by her side in seconds, just to come face to face with eyes that showed him more clearer than words could that something was really wrong here.

"Naruto, what are you doing here?!" She shouted, clearly surprised to see him here and for a moment Naruto thought that he saw even a hint of panic in her eyes.

"Never mind that. Where is Tsunade? Why isn't she here?"

"She... She is still inside." Shizune said, almost like she was wondering if she should not reveal the information of her friend and master.

"She wanted us all to get out first."

Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly. Had Kurama indeed known something about what was going on? Why did Naruto feel like he was kept in the dark not only by the fox but by Shizune as well, now that he saw how her tired and slightly hazy eyes looked at him.

"Listen to me Naruto, this is not something you can help us with. Actually, with your enormous chakra and Kyuubi sealed inside of you, you could put us all in great danger. I need you to leave immediately." Shizune said and her harsh words felt worse than a group of kunai stuck in his nerve points, and the seriousness in her hollow voice and face made her seem far too cold for his liking.

"W-What?"

"I am serious Naruto... You should..." An explosion was heard, cutting rest of her sentence off and everyone's eyes turned to watch how shards of glass fell down as a few windows on the third floor where broken and it was enough for Naruto's eyes to get a glimpse of the deep red glow that illuminated from one of the second floor windows.

"Good, he is still there." Kurama said inside of him and once again Naruto's own body seemed to work without his mind giving it orders. He could hear Shizune shout his name as he ran inside, the glow of Kurama's chakra helping him to avoid fallen and broken things in the floor.

Just when he stepped on the first step of stairs, the first rays of foreign chakra started to tingle over his skin, almost like a thousand butterflies at the same time, and the more he hurried his way toward the stairs, the more the amount of foreign chakra increased. Finally, when he reached the last step of the stars to the second floor, he came in contact with a far more larger amount of the strange chakra, and the way it came so suddenly and strongly out of nowhere, made Naruto gasp for breath. It felt like he was trying to force himself through some kind of invisible wall.

The sudden struggle to move forward made Naruto realize something rather alarming, he was feeling tired. Was this chakra the reason why Shizune had looked like that and had said what she did.

"Tsunade no baa-chan!" Naruto shouted, wanting to hear her voice even if normally he wanted to avoid the sake loving woman. If he would have stopped and thought about it, it would have felt really weird to come and look for one of the strongest people in their village and someone he knew could hold her own against the most fierce opponents. He had seen it before.

Still, despite all his knowledge and trust for their Hokage's strength, he could not stop his stomach from twisting with worry, or was it because of Kyuubi? He could sense the fox's uneasiness, almost like it wanted to escape, or maybe it wanted to fight instead. Why? He was not sure about that either, which made Naruto wonder about his own confusion. It was like something was distracting him from thinking straight.

"NARUTO! RUN!"

Tsunade's scream made Naruto's blood freeze in his veins and what he saw next made him want to both run away with all his might and launch into an attack with everything he had, but his body did neither of those. It felt like his legs had decided that they had already been running enough. Frozen now in his place, Naruto stared with wide eyes at how halfway from the dark corridor the small and narrow space burst into fire that seemed to reach toward him more like an actual being than a form of energy.

The deep redness of those flames seemed to go almost hand in hand with the shadows and darkness, blending it with it but also seeming to stand out more, especially when those flames flashed almost orange on the edge as they started their way toward him.

Naruto was not sure if it took just one blink of an eye for all this to happen or several seconds, but he couldn't find himself turning his eyes away and against all common sense, the last hints of sanity in his mind, Naruto felt his body relax as the flames became closer.

How such deep worry and fear could be replaced so quickly with harmony, soothing his nerves like he imagined that a mother's touch would, was a mystery he could not understand. Things like that seemed to be today's theme. A sigh escaped his lips and his shoulders sunk, when had he become so exhausted?

When the flames reached him, wrapping around him and blinding him with their colors, the serenity that had taken over him was replaced with pain far more severe than any human should endure, and Naruto felt his world go completely black.

Everything burned so badly, his whole body twisting with the waves of heat, making him want to scream and the way his throat hurt he wasn't even sure he wasn't screaming indeed. If he was he couldn't hear his own voice, in fact he couldn't hear anything. Anything except the sound of the most soft footsteps reaching closer and closer.

Naruto hadn't even realized when he had closed his eyes, it could have been when those flames surrounded him, but as he opened them, he saw first nothing else than those exact flames dancing around him.

It was unreal how he could separate each and every flame and watch them appear and disappear, some of them reaching higher than others and some of the flames turning darker or brighter than the others.

"Beautiful isn't it?"

The voice was gentle, soft like the summer breeze and even in his pain Naruto found his body loosened up, just like before, but only so slightly. The words were so distant and somehow seemed to be off more than one way, making Naruto wonder if the person who owned that voice was in pain also. Naruto wished that he could find his own voice to answer back but had no such luck, all he managed was a painful whimper.

The voice said something else but Naruto couldn't hear it, it sounded that it now came even further away but when his pain started to slowly fade away he figured, that no matter who it was, the person seemed to be in control of these flames. It made anger build up inside of him and when finally the pain had subdued into warm heat he managed to let his lips move and sound came out from between them.

"Who the hell are you?!"

There was a thick silence and a few of the flames flashed in a more dangerous manner near Naruto but faded before he had time to worry about them starting to burn him more severely again.

"I should have known that you don't recognize me, Naruto. I can hardly recognize myself either." The voice whispered and the footsteps that Naruto had heard earlier started again. When had they stopped?

"Seems like I was wrong, he recognized you after all." Kurama said quietly inside Naruto, almost whispering as well and Naruto could hear the strain in it, it seemed that he was not the only one who was in pain.

"I should have known better... It seems that I underestimated him again." The fox growled and it startled Naruto when the same gentle voice that had spoken now appeared to laugh quietly. It seemed to come closer this time and Naruto tried to concentrate in order to see better.

"Good to hear you two talking so casually with each other. I knew you could do it, learn to live with him. It feels like you have also been able to sooth his rage and even train him a little. The unison with both of your chakra feels amazing, it reaches so deep... I am proud of you, Naruto."

Something about the last sentence made Naruto's chest tighten, his heart starting to beat stronger as more emotions came, like moths toward the evening fire. Was he like them? Why? Why did these flames feel like arms that were trying their best to hug him?

"Who are you?" For some reason Naruto was afraid to ask, to speak those words out loud and his hand reached to grab the fabric of his shirt over his chest. The confusion he felt as he realized that he still had his clothes on, unharmed and undamaged was overwhelming but still forgotten when he finally managed to see a glimpse of a figure in the middle of all those flames.

The movements were slow, so painfully slow, that he could tell. For the time being all he saw was the silhouette and that was only because it was a much darker shade of red than the other flames.

Naruto wanted to ask his question again but found his throat betraying him. Was he sobbing? He quickly raised his hand to touch his face and as his fingertips touched something wet he knew there were tears falling down without any restraints. As the voice spoke again, Naruto felt his hands start to shake.

"I am not sure anymore myself Naruto. I only know who I used to be... and I also know who I want to be if this is all reality and not just a dream. It's hard for me to separate those two apart but I guess that is understandable." The voice spoke softly and Naruto felt a sting of pain run through him. He listened so carefully, focusing on each syllable and each individual word, trying to find something in there that would give him a hint of who this person was. For now he found none, the voice was just too strange, even if it had a familiar shade on it that confused him.

"I also seem to have been gone far longer than I had realized. You have grown so much, I can feel how strong you have become. Not just Kyuubi but you, Naruto, as a ninja and as a person. It gives me both joy and great sadness. I wish nothing more than that I could have been here to see you become who you are now."

Be there for him? What did that mean? What the hell was this person talking about?

"He is trying to go easy on you brat. He wants you to figure things out on your own. What a bag of bullshit if you ask me."Kurama suddenly spoke and Naruto jumped slightly to the volume of the fox's rumbling voice. It sounded like the giant creature was right next to him, watching him with its huge eyes that seemed to always challenge him, but now something seemed off. The fox's voice seemed strained, like it was using the last of its strength to speak.

"Kurama?"

"I am here." This time its voice was a little stronger and it almost sounded like it tried to be, gentler?

It made Naruto turn around and his eyes widened as the demon was now standing right in front of him in its full glory, surrounded by all those flames and the way they touched the red fur made it look like they were actually penetrating into its flesh and the pained look on Kurama's face only proved that to be so. Naruto hardly noticed that the fox shouldn't have been able to fit into the corridor he thought they were still standing in, if he did he would have realized that there were no walls around them anymore.

"Hurry up already and end this little meeting of yours. It hurts you know." The fox growled but it lacked its usual anger and frustration and Naruto wondered briefly why Kurama didn't fight back if he was in pain. What could possibly even hurt the mighty fox in a way that made him struggle to just stay on its legs?

"Yes, I guess it must hurt but we need to make sure things stay clear Kyuubi." The voice spoke again but now the softness was altering, disappearing and for some reason Naruto couldn't bring himself to be able to turn around. Not just yet. He could hear and feel that the figure was coming slowly closer once again and the pained expression on the fox's face seemed to only become more severe and the silent growling that Kurama had been making was getting louder as anger flashed in its eyes.

"I won't trust you even if Naruto seems to. I know you would kill me again if I would let you and that's how it's going to be from now on. I will tolerate you for Naruto's sake and who knows, maybe someday a peace can be made even if both of us can never truly be free from our prisons. What had been done can't be changed and the time that has been lost cannot be taken back but no matter how much I want to, I cannot blame no one else other than myself for that. I just hope that my sacrifice was enough."

Those words, something seemed to change in them as the person spoke. With every sentence and with every step that was taken closer, Naruto was finding his breathing becoming deeper and deeper. He wanted to blame the flames for taking all the oxygen away from him, making him feel light headed as he slowly turned around. The flames that were still dancing all around them seemed to slow down in the process, warming him in a way that left his skin feeling cold but his insides burning hot.

"Dad?" It was nothing more than a whisper, so quiet that he was not even sure himself that the word left his lips but he just knew it did.

Suddenly he was not confused anymore. He could feel the tears rolling down his face once again but his hand did not reach up this time. He didn't want to move, he didn't want to say or do anything. The pain he had felt in his chest was becoming too much for him to take, and yet with the pain came a feeling of serenity that he had not felt until now. All he could do was watch the person in front of him and break down in sobs as he was answered with a voice that was full of the love and warmth that Naruto had longed for all his life, wishing so many lonely nights that he could hear someone talk to him like he was the only thing that mattered in this world.

"Yes, Naruto. I am here, finally."

...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And he is finally awake! I wonder what is coming up next :3


	9. I wish I could explain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let the story go on!

"Yes, Naruto. I am here, finally."

 

...

 

Naruto couldn't believe what his ears had just heard. Was this some kind of sick joke? A cruel prank that he just couldn't figure out? If it was, then someone was going to be in for the ass kicking of their life.

"That can't be..." Naruto whispered, staring into the flames. He wanted to blame the heat and the brightness for the tears running down his face but maybe this time he was allowed to cry. He wasn't sure if his voice would be strong enough to carry out the words that he wanted and needed to speak, but he had no choice, he could not get rid of the horrible feeling that everything would be over before his questions could be answered and he was not going to let that happen.

"I saw you back then when Kurama was going to take over me, you came and stopped him and even fixed the seal. You... You can't be the Yondaime, you look nothing like him!" Naruto said, his voice raising into nearly shouting volumes when he finished, his confusion suddenly changing into frustration that was clear in his voice. It was strange though how it never reached to the point of anger as the softness of the other's voice chased it away even before it reached him.

"And yet you still called me Dad."

Naruto wanted to deny it, say that he didn't know why he had said it. He wanted to shout and curse this person with every insult he could think of, to see if he could make the other lose that calmness that radiated from him. The words were there, ready to be spoken but all that Naruto could do in the end was to try his hardest to focus his eyesight so that he could see the figure's face even a little better.

There was a single flash of flame and suddenly Naruto's concentration was broken by Kurama's loud growl.

"Naruto, don't. Don't use any of your chakra, not even the tiniest bit. It takes all I have, to maintain even this state of calmness and fight the feeling of starvation but I won't hurt you, I'd rather die than do it. The Kyuubi here, though, is another matter." For some, the calmness of the figure's voice could have been deceiving but for a shinobi there was no question about the threat that could be read between the lines.

It was especially the last statement that went through Naruto like a electric shock and his eyes widened just before he turned to watch the demon fox. As his eyes landed on its shaking body he then realized why Kurama looked the way he did. If something like this would have happened back in the days when the fox was just a giant beast to him that was trapped inside of him, making his life a living nightmare, he would have felt nothing toward it but it was different now. Now he knew the demon by name and used it as a sign of the bond that they had been able to form over the past years. He no longer could say that he hated the demon, they had become part of each other and hearing this person who claimed to be his father, saying that he could not hurt Naruto but had no problem hurting Kurama made a different kind of fire flash in his eyes.

"That's some load of bullshit. If you really were my father, then you would know that I am connected to the Kyuubi in a way that will make it practically impossible to hurt just him and not me also. I know that Kurama has done a lot of stuff that people hate him for but there is also a lot that you or anyone doesn't know. It makes me angry that you, who clearly knows nothing, speaks like you know everything! Hell, you could be a much bigger bastard then he ever has been in my knowledge! I heard Tsunade no baa-chan's voice just before you appeared and if you hurt her..."

"She will be alright." The voice said, stopping Naruto's speech and making him relax just a little. Why did it sound like there was amusement mixed in that voice now?

"Are you done now? I am sorry if my words hurt you but I found that this would be the quickest way to see just how deep your connection goes, apart from the chakra sharing part. You see, your thoughts and your thoughts alone about the fox matter to me... And as for what happens to Tsunade, I understand your worry but she is strong, just like you. Though it was fortunate that I woke up when I did."

It was probably no wonder that Naruto had a hard time believing those words. As far as he knew, this person seemed to be strong, enormously strong and also unstable. The calmness of this situation and the softness of his voice didn't really lessen the weight of the flames that had taken over everything. In that point of view Naruto knew that his outburst had been really risky, the idea of angering this person was actually more intimidating than Naruto wanted to admit. Just like he didn't want to admit it to himself just how badly he wanted this person to really be who he had first thought he was.

"What makes you think that I believe anything you say?" The words left Naruto's mouth before he could stop them and as he waited in the short lasting silence for an answer, he wondered about his possibilities to get out of here alive. His instincts as a ninja were really getting the best of him.

"Naruto, I don't expect you to believe me or any of the information I could give to you at this point. There is too much that I myself don't know and one of them is you. While I am overwhelmed with joy that I actually am here now with you, I must also accept the fact that you and I are strangers to each other. Because of that I also find it ironic just how similar we have become." As the person spoke, Naruto noticed a hint of something in his tone that he could not fully pinpoint. Was it sadness, frustration, or something else?

For a trained ninja it was more than just a habit, they were trained to observe everything around them. Though that didn't explain why he seemed to cling to every change in the person's tone, trying to find something but not even sure what it actually was that he wanted to find. He told himself that it was because of the reason that he could not see the other's facial expressions or read his body language properly. The flames did a damn good job at hiding everything else other than his outline and Naruto wondered if even that was correct. He couldn't help but to wonder if he was trapped inside some kind of illusion. All of this felt just too unreal.

"What are you talking about?" Naruto's own tone was probably a bit harsher than he had meant but the confusion was again raising its head and he hated it.

"That is one of those questions that I can't answer yet."

'Fucking brilliant.' Naruto cursed in his head.

"It is useless brat, he won't tell you anything. You're just wasting your time and mine also." Kurama spoke up suddenly, making Naruto jump slightly. It was amazing how he sometimes still forgot the fox's presence. It also showed just how much his focus was on the figure in front of him.

"You have nothing else than time Kyuubi." The person said calmly but there was a stretched feeling to it and Naruto wondered if it was because of Kurama's interference in their conversation or was it actually exhaustion? He did remember that the person said that he was at his limit? Suddenly the slight uneasiness that he had felt for a while now became more than just a silent nagging sound, it was practically screaming at him now to escape.

"My time and strength on the other hand, seem to be nearing their end for now. Even with all this chakra, I am not ready to push my boundaries. I have already been here too long."

Hearing that sent really strong mixed feelings through Naruto and on instinct, he took a step closer to the figure, making the flames flash once again before calming back down.

"Hold on! There is no way I can let you leave! You destroyed the Hogake's mansion, chased everyone out in the rain and attacked Tsunade no baa-chan and me! You also hurt Kurama!" Naruto shouted and no matter how strange it seemed, he was sure that he rather felt than saw a smile appear on the figure's face.

"Naruto, you don't need to be afraid. I meant it when I said that Tsunade will be alright and that I would never truly hurt you. Kurama will be alright also, he will just need to rest but if I don't leave now things could end so that we will not be able to face each other in flesh. My body can't take this much longer."

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked, his voice losing all of its edge as he took in the warmth that had reappeared in this figure's voice. How could it affect him like this? He had been angry just a few seconds ago but now there was no sign of that in him anymore; why had he been angry again?

"You will understand when you see me." Was the only answer that Naruto got before the flames started to fade away and the dark shadows, that had been towering over them, were now reaching out fast.

"Wait!" It was a sad attempt to make the figure stay and Naruto knew it but he could not help the suffocating feeling that was taking over him at the same time that the darkness did. He wanted to hear that voice, even if for one final time. For his sadness, his wish was left unheard and unfilled as the darkness and silence took over his senses.

 

...

...

 

When Naruto woke up again he was sure at first that he was still sleeping his dreamless sleep. It took him a few moments to realize that the darkness was actually now containing different kinds of shapes that looked a lot like hospital furniture and the small amount of light that made them visible enough for observing was coming from a small window on his right.

The confusion that had seemed to become familiar to him raised its head as he automatically tested his body for any injuries with slight movements.

"How did I get here?"

"I brought you here." The answer was given quietly, clearly not wanting to alarm the unfocused shinobi and it took Naruto a few moments to find the source of the familiar voice. When he did, he tried to get up but was instead pushed strongly back down to just lay under the white sheets.

"I wouldn't recommend sudden movements brat, you had it kind of rough."

Naruto blinked and as Tsunade's face became more clearer in his vision he took in a shaky breath, instant relief going through him and he relaxed under her iron grip.

"What happened?"

Tsunade's eyes narrowed to the question as she stared down at Naruto, making the other slightly uncomfortable under such observation. For a while he wondered if he was going to get any kind of answer so he was not really surprised when his question was countered with another question.

"You don't remember?"

"Not really... Everything's a little hazy." Naruto admitted, lifting his hand to massage his head. Why did his body hurt all over?

The gesture and the look of pain on his face seemed to make Tsunade's expression harden far more, making her look almost angry. Angry Tsunade never was a good sign so Naruto tried his best to push everything away, grinning for their village's Hokage to show her that he was fine. Hokage, why did that seem to ring a bell.

As the title Hokage flashed in front of his eyes again his breath was caught halfway in his throat.

"The Yondaime..." Has it been a dream? It would make so much more sense if it had been but why was he in pain then? He could clearly remember those flames and the heat, the soft footsteps and the calm and gentle voice.

The memories seemed to come back to him, one by one, and with them also came the choking feeling that made his hands turn into fists. Did he imagine it or did his pain just become more severe?

"So you did meet him. Did you manage to talk to him, Naruto?" Tsunade asked, releasing her grip on Naruto's shoulder and actually helping him to sit up this time. He could feel that she tried to be gentle with him but her movements somehow seemed off, like it wasn't as easy for her as it should have been.

"I-I think so... I didn't see much else than flames but I could hear his voice, and I also saw a figure." Naruto admitted and lowered his gaze to look at his hands; he opened then as he saw how tightly he was squeezing them. He couldn't help but to also notice how they seemed to be shaking a little.

"Tsunade, was it really the Yondaime. Was that really Dad?" The hope could be easily recognized from Naruto's voice and as he turned to look at Tsunade again his eyes had become brighter as a different kind of pain was beginning to take form inside of him.

"I believe so Naruto. Actually, I am sure of it." Tsunade said and a small smile appeared on her lips, a smile that seemed to come from somewhere deep inside of her. Naruto soon found himself smiling as well and a small laugh was the only sound he could make for the moment as he tried to procress the situation.

Somehow hearing someone like Tsunade say that the figure really had been his father made a lot of questions rise alongside the emotions. The feeling that everything was a dream still didn't disappear though.

"It's crazy as hell you know, to think that he was alive this whole time." Naruto said, more to himself than to Tsunade actually, but the woman's response made him turn his whole attention back to her.

"He might not have been alive this whole time Naruto."

"But... It wasn't summoning jutsu... I am sure of it." Naruto said, noticing just how stubborn his own voice sounded and it embarrassed him a little.

"I agree, but the fact that Orochimaru and Sasuke were able to summon him from the death years ago still exists. Did he say anything to you Naruto that could explain the situation? Something that seemed odd to you." Tsunade asked and Naruto snorted, sounding too much like Sasuke in her ears.

"Everything he said seemed weird."

"Why so, Naruto?"

"He... He seemed different. I know it's weird for me to say that since I have met him only inside Kyuubi's prison and when we were fighting Madara and Obito but I can't help it. He seemed to be just as confused as I was and I got the feeling that he was struggling a lot." Naruto had to really think hard as he spoke, analyzing the memories in order to find the right words. It seemed like he also needed to tell himself these things, not just Tsunade.

"I see. What else?" Tsunade asked before she fell quiet once again, letting Naruto think for a moment in silence. When a frown appeared on his face, Tsunade took it as a sign that there was something bothering Naruto more deeply than he let on.

"He said that he was starving. What exactly did he mean by that?"

'He said that he was still starving? Even if he just absorbed a full lightning jutsu and its energy, among most of my chakra and some from the people inside the tower? How is that possible? No one could consume so much chakra and still want more.' Even in her confusion Tsunade decided not to ask her thoughts out loud, for Naruto's sake. The boy probably wouldn't even be able to answer them anyway as there were too many things that didn't seem to fit in this puzzle. It would probably be best to approach the situation from a different angle.

"Naruto, how are you feeling?"

"Eh? Umm, I am not truly sure. I feel kinda dizzy and my body hurts all over. My head hurts too."

"Describe the pain for me."

"It feels like I would have been training really hard I guess. I feel heavy, lightheaded, and it's really starting to annoy me big time that I can't get rid of this feeling from inside of my chest... It's confusing. I feel so damn confused that I just want to punch someone to ease the frustration!"

Tsunade listened carefully, pointing out how Naruto's voice started to rise with each sentence, his body language changing as well. Yes the frustration was clear and understandable but even if she thought she knew the true source of the pain that Naruto felt both physically and mentally, she still wondered if she should test her theories a little later.

"I would be more surprised if you weren't confused, Naruto. You have every right to be. Your father appearing from beyond the grave, in a body that should have withered away a long time ago. Not to mention the new power he seems to possess." Tsunade said, trying to sound calmer than she actually felt about everything, but as she saw the change in Naruto's expression she turned from the window where her eyes had wandered, to look back at Naruto.

"Withered away? What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

This was it. This was the moment that Tsunade had already been trying to prepare herself for days now and she knew that she could hide her feelings well enough so that she could say the words that Naruto needed to hear. It still felt wrong somehow no matter how she thought of it because she knew that knowing everything would only cause Naruto more pain.

"Naruto, I will now explain some of the things that I known for a long time now, so listen carefully. Minato was found in our country's woods, halfway to the Hidden village of Grass, almost two weeks ago. He was in a state that no normal human could be found even barely alive normally in any situation. I was told that when he was found he had woken up and told enough information that he was brought here. He was nothing more than bones and skin, Naruto. He was also unconscious until the night when the lightning struck the building just when we were about to test how the strange chakra that had taken over him would react to different amounts of chakra given to it, since chakra seemed to be what it was after. It eats chakra Naruto, that's why you are feeling so exhausted. When you ran here it took you as its next pray. A lot of Kyuubi's chakra seems to have been absorbed and some of yours too in the process. Those flames that you saw are the tools that devour really high amounts of chakra but Minato's mere presence also absorbs chakra if you are in a closed space with him. He is dangerous Naruto. That is the conclusion that I have been forced to come to." Tsunade said, trying to keep her voice steady until the end, but she felt her eyes betraying her so she had to turn away. She really wanted a cup of sake and a long nights sleep when she finally gets the chance.

The silence that followed felt heavy, really heavy, and Tsunade was about to open her mouth again when she was interrupted by a voice that didn't really sound like it belonged to its owner.

"Where is he now?" Naruto whispered.

There it was, the second question that Tsunade knew that Naruto would ask and she would be forced to answer. With a deep sigh, she looked straight into Naruto's bright eyes and let a small, sad smile appear on her dry lips.

"I don't know, Naruto. He has disappeared."

...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just in case you wonder I decided to address Minato still as just a person or figure in this chapter because of Naruto. That fact will change when their relationship starts to change or when Minato is alone or with someone else. Thank you for reading!
> 
> Reviews? : 3


	10. Painful memories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter!

The world was silent and warm, more comforting than one man remembered it being in a long time. He wanted to enjoy this special moment as he had no desire for the time being to know about the world around him. All he wanted was to continue to just be, enjoying the rare serenity hewas given. Even still, half asleep he knew that it wouldn't last long anyway and he was right. No matter how much he tried to block it out, he could slowly feel his body began to stiffen as his senses started to awaken once again.

He did not want to lose the warmth he was feeling all around him, but the natural need to know his current location was raising its head. He was in no hurry though and concentrated lazily on each new feeling he got, starting from the brightness that came after the darkness. He could hear a quiet groan and figured it left from his own lips, even if it sounded slightly out of place to have come from his vocal cords. He slowly turned around, trying to escape the light that seemed to have suddenly sneaked up on him.

No matter how badly he wanted to continue to sleep or just relax under the blanket he also knew that he had already gone past that point. Slowly he let his other eye open up and then just as slowly he waited for it to focus on his surroundings, taking everything in. If he couldn't drift back into the world of dreams he could at least use his own sweet time to adjust to the world of the living.

The first thing that he realized was how white everything was, and the second thing he realized was that his body felt somehow really weird, more lighter than it normally did and also more relaxed. As he tried to think of the reason for this, memories started to rush toward him and he was sitting up before he could stop himself. The sudden movement made his head dizzy and the whiteness of the room mixed with darker shades as everything spun for a while. Closing his eye didn't really help, but the urge to get up did and also the sudden voice that broke the silence.

"Glad to see you are finally up, Kakashi-san."

It took a few seconds for the silver haired shinobi to find his sight able to focus on the woman's figure near his legs, beside the bed where he was currently laying, but he decided not to push it. He knew her well enough to feel secure while being still half asleep, and probably drugged up too; it was her doing after all.

"Good morning Shizune." Kakashi said politely, earning a smile from the other as their eyes finally met.

He immediately took in the tired look in her dark eyes and how her skin seemed to be a little paler than normal, making her look older than he knew she was. It was weird how she seemed to, at the same time, blend in and standout in the hospital room where Kakashi figured that he was currently in. He had visited the place enough over the years to recognize the white walls, white furniture, and the scent that hung in the air. There was nothing that really stood out, but something still seemed to be off.

Kakashi blinked a few times to get the rest of the dizziness away and then let his eyes rest on Shizune's smiling face.

Why did she look like she was waiting for him to speak, to ask something? He could see it from her eyes and it made Kakashi frown a little. What could it be? Had something happened recently? Probably because he was here once again, although this time he felt no physical pain.

"Kakashi, do you have problems remembering why you are here? Do you remember what happened to you?" Shizune asked calmly, her eyes still not leaving his. It was actually Kakashi who broke the eye contact by lowering his eyes, trying to remember.

The more Kakashi tried to focus, the harder it seemed to be. He remembered something that seemed more like a dream, a very emotional dream. Tsunade had summoned him to see her, to tell him that someone who he had lost so many years ago had come back. Except that,in his dream like memories, he had been led to actually see him, to see that this person was nothing but a hollow shell of the man in the picture that he still cherished. Could it have been real? No, it had to be a dream. He was dead.

"Everything really happened Kakashi." Shizune's voice was still just as calm as earlier, her face almost neutral, but for Kakashi her words held a much stronger meaning, not just because of the volume they were spoken in. They were strong enough to shake his inner world, making a tiny crack in those high walls that he had built to hide his most deepest desires and emotions.

"Then, Minato... He is?..." He could not bring himself to say it, not just yet.

"Yes." It was a simple word but Kakashi knew that he would remember it for a long time now, with the hope that was rising inside of him.

"Kakashi... Minato has gone missing." Suddenly Kakashi understood Shizune's cool calmness perfectly. He would have played his role the same way if he had been in her shoes.

"When?"Kakashi asked, skillfully hiding his own thoughts while keeping his voice just as calm as Shizune's. He could now recall everything from before he passed out, but he knew that he didn't need to say it out loud. Shizune was one of those who had learned to read him well enough over the years if he just let her.

"Yesterday. We have done our best to find him but there is no trace of him. We were seriously considering asking the Inuzuka clan to take over the search soon if you didn't wake up."

That was enough information for the time being that Kakashi needed and he understood it perfectly. While the situation was urgent and probably also chaotic, it was still a very delicate and restricted issue. The less people knew about Minato for now the better.

After quick thinking Kakashi sighed and bit his thumb, summoning everyone from his pack to the room and watched how Pakkun jumped on his bed immediately.

"What's up Kakashi? It's rare for you to call all of us these days." The pug asked as it stared at its master's one visible eye. There might or might not have been something else than that the the animal had wished to say, but at the seriousness in Kakashi's eyebecame obvious, all the dogs seemed to take in their master's mood as their own. The bond between the summons and master was truly remarkable.

Shizune was looking at the dogs with such interest that she didn't immediately notice how Kakashi's gaze turned toward her. It was only when his voice reached her ears that she turned to look at the man that, from the outside, seemed to be completely collected.

"Shizune, do you have something with his scent on it?"

"Yes." She answered immediately and to Kakashi's surprise took out one of Minato's special kunais and lowered her hand so that all of the dogs could take a sniff. While doing so,Shizune could feel the unsaid questions hang in the air and decided that now would be just as good a time than any other to lay out the rest of the information. His intense stare was a good example of how sometimes unsaid words could be the most intense ones.

"It seems like you now remember what happened, but I don't blame you for not knowing anything after that. The experiment with you testing your sharingan to see what was going on inside Minato happened four days ago. The effect of that time was that almost all of your chakra had been absorbed and we have been treating you since then. It took a lot longer than any of us could have assumed." Shizune said, and when the dogs had all memorized the smell, she gave the kunai to Kakashi who took it a little hesitantly. She couldn't help but to notice how carefully he was holding the solid weapon, like it was made of glass instead of steel.

"The following days after you collapsed were filled with various tests and the last one ended rather badly as there was a lightning that hit the building at the same time. It was an extraordinary way to find out that it is not only chakra that Minato is able to take in, but also different kinds of other energy sources as well, even that exact lightning."

At those words,Kakashi's eye lifted from the weapon he was holding to look at Shizune. She could only offer him a small smile when she saw his surprise, but when he made no sound,she saw that it was best to continue.

"After that lightning,Tsunade made sure that everyone got into safety, staying inside and using herself as bait. While that happened,Naruto appeared and, against my commands, went inside to find Tsunade. Therest is still a little unclear. It seems that Minato was able to wake up at a critical point and Naruto said that they were even able to talk with each other, even if he was a little unsure if it really was his father."

Even though the idea of Naruto meeting his father made Kakashi's lips turn a little upward, the fact that the blond was not sure if it really was him was a little upsetting for Kakashi. He wished that he had been there to witness it with his own eyes. What he would give to be able to talk again with his sensei.

"It is understandable that Naruto couldn't fully recognize Minato. When that lightning hit the building, those same flames that tried to reach you back then appeared, but this time they were going berserk. They filled the room and surrounded Minato completely, apparently protecting him and hiding him. You should have seen the room where he was in back then. It was as black as the night and there was not a single thing left behind. The walls had also cracked so badly that the room collapsed afterwards." Shizune said,and waited for a few more moments, before continuing when she saw the look on Kakashi's face. The man seemed to be analyzing everything like a supercomputer.

"I remember some of what happened, it was rather chaotic with the flames appearing out of nowhere and reaching out for us. According to Tsunade it was actually only in the first minutes that most of the damage took place, even if it felt like a lot longer time. Everything was over shortly after everyone was evacuated, but we stayed outside for a while just to make sure. When we could no longer see the glow of those flames or feel him, the ANBU members came in to find only Naruto and Tsunade. Minato had vanished."

Kakashi listened to Shizune with his sharpened hearing, and the image of those red and orange colored flames flashed before his eyes, making the hair on the back of his neck rise up.

"How come I didn't wake up at that time?" The question was actually rather pointless as Kakashi was already almost certain of the answer, but he wanted to make sure anyway. He needed to take his mind away from the little piece of jealousy that he felt toward Naruto at the moment; he knew that feeling like this was downright stupid. Minato was Naruto's father afterall.

"We gave you enough sedatives to make even Kyuubi feel sleepy." Shizune's voice was practically covered with sugar, but it was the grin on her lips that actually sent shivers running through Kakashi's back. And people kept judging him because he wasn't very keen on getting much medical help from their village's ninjas. Hell, if they would spend even a fracture of time with their own Hokage and her assistant, they would drop all of their criticism. Those two women were demons in disguise.

"I could have helped."

"No. Not this time, Kakashi. Close combat isn't possible with him and he was downright out of control. It was a dangerous situation that made Tsunade decide to use herself as bait. It was fortunate that nothing else happened." Shizune said quickly, dropping the sweetness from her voice and replacing it with seriousness.

"We are not sure what actually triggered him to awaken, but we do believe at the moment that it wasn't the lightning. Tsunade thinks that it was actually Naruto's presence that did it. Or rather, The Nine Tail's."

"The Nine Tail's?"

"Yes."

In a different situation Kakashi would have wanted to ask more, manipulate the questions to get the small hints he knew he could receive when playing his cards right, but right now time was not on his side. He noticed the slight difference in Shizune's stance and saw her eyes shift to glance at one of Kakashi's dogs and he knew that the discussion of that matter was now over. They had more important things to do.

"Before I send my pack out, is there something that I should know about? Something that could work either against us or for us?"Kakashi asked, and as those dark eyes just stared at him quietly he wondered just how deep the roots were running for those secrets that she was not allowed to reveal.

"Just that he is dangerous,Kakashi. I want you to understand and remember it. Tell your dogs to retreat at the second they sense something strange or when they feel tired. At that point they have found him or are at least near him."

Kakashi nodded and decided that the time for talking was over. As he sent his pack on their way, he lifted the covers and climbed out of the bed.

He would have been blind not to notice Shizune's eyes analyze his body movements and the hint of lustful shine when his muscular legs and arms were partly showing from his white hospital robe that ended just under his knees and above his elbows. The damn thing was annoying and Kakashi wanted to change out of it as soon as possible, even if he would have to do it without privacy.

"Would you hand me my uniform now, please?"

...

...

Sometime later, somewhere else

Everything felt so bizarre,so confusing. Everything had changed. The places that he remembered, the people he had known and even he himself. Nothing was the same and he knew that that was how it was supposed to be.

So many years had gone by already.

He had always been fast to learn new things, to adapt in the current situations so why did it feel so difficult to do this time? Had he really changed so much, become a different person, maybe even more than he himself wanted to admit? That thought actually scared him, making him shiver slightly and fall back into comforting memories.

He could still recall that fierce red color of her hair and the sweet smile that would appear on her face when they were alone in their home. Their own home that he had been preparing and modulating for their unborn child for months before hand. Now the only thing that remained were the fading images that he still carried in his heart.

"I wish you would have let me do it alone, so that you could have continued to live on and be part of our son's life. I miss you Kushina."

Hearing the slight echo of his own voice around himself felt very surreal for Minato. It was a welcome change, just like the fact that he could now actually feel his own body. Every move he made, every step he took felt like they would be his first, but it didn't bother him too much. He knew that it would have been impossible for a body that had gone through as much as his had to actually work properly.

Taking in a deep breath he let his memories work as a guidance for him. Even if those memories were the ones that part of his old self still remembered clearly, he still decided to keep it safe and keep his movements slow. He was slightly glad that he didn't need to worry too much ashe had concentrated to move around in the darkness that surrounded him, feeling the stone walls that surrounded him with his sensitive fingers.

The most meaningful part of his current location was not actually the place itself, but the fact that this time he knew that this darkness was not part of his own dream that was also why he felt the need to talk, even if, once again, there was no one answering back to him.

"It's so ironic that after such a long time my wish actually came true, but can't be fulfilled. I came back to find Naruto, to meet with my son, and yet I couldn't stay next to him for very long. I couldn't even hold him." As the last sentence left his lips hecould hear his own voice slowly fade almost into nothing, and he was a little surprised that his voice hadn't cracked.

After a few moments of complete silence, that was only slightly broken by his own breathing, Minato realized that he was shaking and it was not because of the cold stone floor that he was sitting on. The coldness actually felt good under his burning skin, but he knew that if he wanted to keep it that way he would need to move again very soon. The heat radiating from him seemed to have already raised the air temperature quite a bit and the earthy smell that had been here when he first came was now turning from humid into a much drier one.

He felt no need to stop the tears when he felt them appear on the corners of his eyes, so he just let them begin to fall freely on his lap and onto the ground. Maybe they would ease some of the pain inside his chest.

It was not like him to feel sorry for himself; he knew where those thoughts would lead him. Taking one last deep breath he forced the memories to leave his mind for the time being, refusing to let the true darkness take power over him. He had things to do and the knowledge to make it possible; all he would need was a little would take the time to mourn his losses later.

He had already analyzed everything and made a list of criteria inside of his mind that he needed to learn, change and fullfill. He knew that he would need help later on, but for now he needed to do this alone or otherwise he could jeopardize the very people and the village he had given his life to save. There was no room for errors.

Minato was really thankful that the seals of his jutsu never disappeared, not even after his death. It had saved him from using his body too much when fatigue had taken over, even if using his own chakra had also felt really foreign in the state he was in. At that point, this cave had been the only place that he managed to think of when he realized that he needed to get out of that he knew that no one was nearby, he could test his body and his new powers, without fearing the consequences of the damage that would occur if the little control he had was truly shattered.

He knew that if he ever wanted to be near another human being he needed to control this hunger of his that nothing seemed to satisfy.

"I wonder why I never felt like this before, or how I at least don't remember it." Minato whispered, lowering his hand slowly from his chest to touch his stomach. It felt really weird for him to feel his body in this state as he had always kept good care of it back in the days; now it felt more like he was touching someone else's body.

"It's time to test my limits once more today."

If anyone could have seen how much trouble it took him just to be able to get up from the ground Minato was sure that even he wouldn't help but to feel embarrassed. After leaving from Naruto's side, he had been able to transfer himself here just before collapsing, and even though his body was still screaming from agony, he only gave himself a few hours of rest from time to time.

"I want to stay in this world." It was one of the many thoughts that would not leave his head, continuing to play inside his mind like a mantra.

"I want to live." This time his voice came louder, stronger.

"I want to feel the warmth of the sun against my skin." Raising the volume of his voice even more, he was met with the echo once more, reminding him about his surroundings and the limited space he was currently in.

"I want to hear the morning birds that Kushina loved." He was nearly shouting now, but he didn't care. Instead he could feel his body start to react, responding to his emotions.

With every breath Minato took, and the oxygen he inhaled, he could feel his body gaining more strength.

"I want to see my son." With those words came the serenity he had come to learn to reach for. The fast beating of his heart began to once again calm down, just like his breathing, but the strength he had managed to bring to the surface was not something he wanted to let go yet.

"It seems that, for now, some strong emotions are needed." Minato whispered calmly as he opened his eyes to look into the darkness and behind it, listening to one unfortunate mouse leave its nest just before the darkness began to fade away.

"I am sorry." He whispered to the poor creature as the heat that radiated from his body now changed into flames, creating enough light that the two pairs of eyes could meet before only one was left behind.

Unknown to him, there had actually been another soul just outside the cave that had been much more fortunate.

It had been there only for a very short moment, the timing being perfect for its purpose. The only thing it had needed had been a few seconds to get close enough to take a sniff at the air that was now holding a hint of the person residing inside. After that, it had left just as quietly as it came, leaving the place ecstatically, but also memorizing the details very carefully.

It already knew from experience that the feeling it had gotten from the short visit was not something to take lightly, and it was going to be very strict about being taken seriously. Even if its master was a lazy idiot, the one-eyed jonin was still its master.

"Damn that brat for sending us looking for this man. I would be gone even before I could have made my escape if he had noticed me." Pakkun whispered when he was far enough from the cave, back under the large trees that were still continuing to grow in the forest. It had always liked this place, it was one part of the forest that was hardly touched. The only exception being the manmade cave and its small surroundings.

Even so the pug knew that there was no time to lose. Its target hadn't seemed to notice it but, like it had pointed out earlier, it was still not safe to be around this area. Not only that, but it could sense Kakashi's restlessness even from all the way here. Sometimes the connection between the pack and Kakashi was more energy consuming than Pakkun liked. The good part was that at times like this when they were far away, the dogs could transfer themselves right to the place where their master was, even if they didn't know the exact location beforehand.

With a tired sigh Pakkun transformed itself in the same hospital room where it had left its master and couldn't help but wonder why. Usually Kakashi did everything he could to avoid the hospital, skipping staying there half the times he had been brought there, not caring if he was seriously wounded or not.

"I found him. He is in the cave a few miles away from the city. You know, the place where his wife Kushina gave birth to Naruto."The dog said as it saw Kakashi's head turn toward it, listening carefully while sitting on the neatly made hospital bed. He had been so deep in his thoughts that the dog easily saw and felt him thinking. The jonin was part of him just as all of them were part of Kakashi, feeling each others' emotions kind of came with the rest of the package.

"Of course, I should have guessed. Well done Pakkun." Kakashi said, and even if the pug didn't show it in any way, it was always happy to hear praises from the man.

Pakkun watched how Kakashi got up, Minato's special kunai still in hand. He gave it one final glance before finally putting it away, reaching out to scratch the pug behind its ears afterwards.

"Would you be kind enough to accompany me there, Pakkun?"

"Do I have a choice brat?" Pakkun asked, snorting as it looked upwards to meet with one visible grey eye.

"I guess not. That reminds me. I need to tell Shizune that you found him; she made it very clear to inform her before I leave."

Not wanting to waste time by walking, Kakashi simply transported himself and his questionable loyal companion just outside Tsunade's office door. He greeted the guards with a quick salute as he appeared, startling them enough that a shuriken was thrown at his face. Luckily, he had reflexes that still worked pretty well so he managed to avoid it with a small change of his gravity point.

"Maa maa, let's not be hasty here. I come in peace." Kakashi said quickly with a raised hand, ignoring the insult the canine murmured next to him. Something about being a useless ninja he thought he heard.

"Then don't startle us like that Hatake." One of the guards said as they lowered and put their weapons away, hearing the silver haired man laugh in a fake tone as he scratched his head.

"Gomen Gomen, gotta try to remember next time. Is Shizune here? She told me earlier to come see her."Kakashi said with his usual cheerful tone and watched the other guard knock very gently on the door a few times. It only took a few seconds for the dark haired medic to appear, opening the door only a little at first and slipping out of the room when she saw Kakashi waving at her.

"That was faster than I anticipated Kakashi. You found him already?" The woman asked, lowering her voice by many octaves. When Kakashi gave her a slight nod, a smile appeared on her face.

"That is very good. Is he okay?"

"Yes, he seemed to be. Almost roasted me alive." Pakkun said with a groan, gaining all of the attention for a few moments.

"Hmm… That means that he is still active. You need to be extra careful Kakashi. You remember all of the information that I gave to you?" Shizune asked, tuning her eyes to look at the silver haired man who looked straight back at her and nodded.

"Good. I know how urgent the situation is, so I am sorry that I made you come to see me before you go. I just needed to make sure of one thing." Shizune said, her voice a little gentler than normal, and when Kakashi raised an eye brow at her comment she reached out her hand and placed it on Kakashi's shoulder. To say that Kakashi was surprised was a mild estimate, dumbfounded would have been more accurate.

"I know how nerve wracking this must be for you Kakashi, but there is a reason other than your pack that made me and Tsunade leave this mission entirely to you. You care for the Youndaime more than probably anyone else in the whole village, and according to the information that I have gotten from Tsunade, Minato cares deeply about you. If someone can reach out to him, it's you." Shizune said, and Kakashi could hear the sincere trust in her voice. It actually left him speechless.

"Now, if you will excuse me, I must go back inside and babysit one really tired and drunk Hokage that finally passed out not too long ago. She has barely slept the past weeks." Shizune said with a tired sigh as she turned around and took a hold of the doorknob.

"Come back in one piece Hatake-san." She said teasingly just before entering the room and closing it after her, leaving the famous copy ninja standing in the white hallway with a blank expression on his face.

...

...

A few hours later

For many creatures, small or big, the night meant time for sleep and rest, but for some it was time for hunting. It was the law of nature, had always been, and all those that held the gift of life would need to find their own place in the circle; their own time of awareness.

But even among all those living beings, there could be found those that would defy these unwritten laws, creating their own instead. Humans were the perfect examples of that.

Though those things were not important for one small creature running in the dark forest, jumping over the obstacles on its way and changing directions, while constantly sniffing the air around it. For there was no difference if it was day or night when it was time to hunt. All that mattered were the commands that it got from its master and the need to follow those commands.

The light that came with the sun during the days was helpful, but not necessary for the mission it was given. It already knew where it was going.

"This way." It said quickly before starting to run again.

It had already been hours since any light could reach its eyes as it roamed the forest, so when something flashed red behind the black curtains of trees, it knew that was not nature's doing. It was far too big to be an insect and its color was not right either.

"There he is, behind those trees and inside the cave. Seems like he is doing something again, so I would be very careful if I were you, Kakashi; he probably came here for of a reason." The canine said quietly, and turned its head to look at its master who was standing behind it.

"I know. Don't worry Pakkun, I just need to talk to him a little."

Even if the small dog wasn't fully familiar with the feelings of humans, it still noticed how Kakashi's voice seemed to be a little softer than it normally was. It only confirmed the suspicion thatit had already been thinking about.

"You are afraid to meet him." It was not a question, just a simple statement, but the silver haired ninja still nodded to his companion.

If it would have been a fellow a human with him right there and then, asking him the same question, Kakashi wouldn't have answered in any way. For a high class shinobi like him, the need to conceal his own emotions was always present. When he had been nothing but a small child, he had been told that the more emotionless a true warrior became, the more powerful he became. For many years he had believed those words, respecting the old ways, and he still did in a way, but he no longer let them cage him like an wounded animal.

"What if… What if I have disappointed him?" The question was so quiet that even the ninja dog had trouble hearing his master's voice. It was unclear for it if the words had even been spoken in a way that was looking for an answer, but the loyal creature decided to answer anyway. Maybe it could ease some of the tension that was still holding the copy ninja in this same spot where they had been sitting and watching the mouth of the cave for many minutes.

"Don't be stupid. If that man will question the choices you have made with your life, you have at least confirmed one thing, and that is the fact that he is not Minato Namikaze."

When no words were said after his little speech, the canine knew that it had hit the bull's-eye. A small and content smile appeared on its face for a few moments before it turned its head to look at its master once more.

"It seems that you don't need me anymore Kakashi, so I will take my leave. I will be waiting for a reward later for finding him. It wasn't easy you know, I almost got roasted alive." That said there was a gentle plop and a small amountof smoke that cleared quickly, leaving the spot beside the silent man empty once again.

Kakashi did not blame Pakkun, the dog wasn't stupid and it had probably felt Minato's aura around the area even better than he did. It was faint and gentle, creating a feeling of safety, but Kakashi had been able to see a glimpse of what was under the surface. It was enough to make the hair on the back of his neck rise up.

It was time to confront the memories that had haunted him over half of his life.

 

…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it for now guys and girls. Next chapter will be kinda just Minato and Kakashi. It would make me super happy if you would leave a comment afterwards.
> 
> I hope you all have a wonderful day!

**Author's Note:**

> I guess this first chapter is more like an epilogue but don't worry, I will post the next chapters sooner than you think. Thank you for reading! I hope you liked it :)


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